


99 cent dreams

by nap_princess



Series: 99 cent dreams [1]
Category: Ever After High
Genre: Ace Chase, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bisexual Darling, Daring my beautiful disaster son, F/F, F/M, Growth, I wrote this fic for me but y'all can read it if you want, Les-be-honest Apple, Male-Female Friendship, Modern AU, Multi, Popularity, Sexuality Crisis, The Charming fam is a disaster, Underage Drinking, identity crisis, life journey, plot over romance, school au, this fic is more about the complexity of life than romance, though there's some romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-05-31 19:08:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 29,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15125999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nap_princess/pseuds/nap_princess
Summary: Popularity; sometimes it's lovely, sometimes it's diabolical. Welcome to the 'shiny' life of a teen idol boy and a couple of popularity princesses– modern AU, Daring, Apple and Briar-centric(The ever favourite Ever After High angst of my heart)





	1. part one

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Warmth](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/394025) by Bastille. 
  * Inspired by [Fake It](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/394028) by Bastille. 
  * Inspired by [Send them off!](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/394034) by Bastille. 
  * Inspired by [the sleepless elite](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17189807) by [nap_princess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nap_princess/pseuds/nap_princess). 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> – for Reade

**99 cent dreams**

* * *

**part one: Daring Charming**

* * *

I can't stop thinking about it,  
I can't stop thinking about it,  
Tell me, did you see the news tonight?

–  **Bastille** ,  _Warmth_

* * *

  __

* * *

"I wanna be an entertainer when I grow up!" A young Daring exclaims, swinging his toy wooden sword left and right as he battles with his sister, Darling. He's only ten years old but he's unbelievably charming for his age.

"Like Father?" Dexter asks, pausing his novel reading. Unlike his siblings who are playing under the sun, Dexter's sitting under a shaded tree.

"I think Daring means he wants to be a movie star when he grows up, like an actor!" Darling quips, correcting her twin brother.

And in one quick move, she unhands Daring's wooden sword with hers. It's an instant game over. Daring tries not to grumble at his lost. Mother says he has to be a good sport and be patient with his younger siblings.

Dexter raises a brow. "You said you wanted to be an astronaut last week,"

"I changed my mind," Daring rolls his blue eyes – a trait he shared with his siblings. "Why venture into the stars when you can  _be_  a star?"

"I think it suits you!" Darling says, she lets out a girlish laugh as she picks up Daring's sword with her left hand.

"Thanks!" Daring replies, throwing in his signature grin – pearly straight teeth flashing. He instantly becomes ambitious. He waves his empty hands at the Summer sky. "I can picture it; me standing in front of a crowd, using big words, dazzling others."

"Father won't let you. Father won't let  _us_ ," Dexter says, lowering his novel for good this time, using a fallen leaf as a bookmark.

Daring's smile drops. He thinks his brother is such a party pooper. "And why not?"

"Because Father needs us, remember? We're supposed to take over Father's company." Dexter answers. He's only nine but logic comes quickly to him.

"Well," Daring says, a hopefulness behind his voice, though his hands are in tight fists. He stares at the twins and tries to not let it show, "He's on TV, isn't he? Same thing."

.

.

.

It wasn't.

* * *

It's no secret that the twins – Dexter and Darling – are Mother's favourites. Daring knows the saying that a parent 'doesn't have' a favourite but he knows otherwise. There is favouritism in the Charming family.

Dexter was a lovely mix of both parents. Thick brown hair like their mother, blue eyes like their father and a gift of intelligence. Daring can't help but feel a little envious. Because while Dexter was a lovely mix, baby sis Darling was a lovely  _surprise_. Blue eyes like their father, beauty mark under her right eye like their mother and something extra from their grandmother who had passed. Darling had inherited that pale blonde hair that looks almost silver.

"Aw, look at that!" An old lady coos at the twins one day when they're out grocery shopping. She pinches Dexter's cheek and he mutters a quivering 'Uh – Hello, ma'am?' The old lady says to Mrs Charming. "He looks just like you,"

"He does, doesn't he?" Mrs Charming brightens then pulls Darling in front of her. "My daughter looks like their Nana,"

The lady oh's and ah's at Darling and her beautiful hair.

"I like your shoes," Darling blurts out.

"Oh, why thank you, dear!" The lady says, not paying any mind to Daring who's just standing a few feet away from them.

The hand holding his toy airplane goes limp. Daring feels invisible. They all probably think he sticks out like a sore thumb if he were to step in. Regardless, he steps into their bubble.

"Mother?" Daring voices.

"Oh," Mrs Charming says. Daring immediately frowns. The tone in her voice sounded like she had forgot about him. Mrs Charming touches Daring's shoulder in a gesture, "This is my oldest."

"It's nice to meet you, Ma'am." Daring says, making the first step in the conversation.

"You too," She replies politely and the lady doesn't say anything particularly magnificent about him.

"Well," Mrs Charming says. "We have to run. But it was nice talking to you."

"Thank you for introducing me to your little angels." The lady says, looking at the twins' direction.

Daring bites back the feeling that the lady would have said 'twins' if not for his interference. He looks down at a puddle, staring at his own reflection. He decides, there was nothing special about himself. He was just … Daring Charming.

…

Daring hated when his father talked about Dexter. Mainly because it always came in a form of belittling where his mother had to come in.

Sides had to be taken. It was as if it was a competition on who was the better son. The blonde one with charm and a killer smile or the quiet one with smarts and some shyness. Of course, the answer is neither because Daring and Dexter are two separate people that can't be compared but Daring knew.

Dexter's insecurities wash over and drown Daring over time because Mother won't call Dexter out and Dexter doesn't know better. Daring knew it was the stem of their fights and he couldn't blame anyone but the adults in the family.

* * *

"So," Dexter says to Daring.

Summer is almost over and back to school shopping advertisements are flashing everything – all bulky backpack and fake cheery smiles and unrealistic thumbs-up. The two watch their father on TV, on the news. Mr Charming owns a news company that talks about the weather and terrible things happening around the world and firemen saving kittens in trees.

Daring thinks Darling was probably off baking cookies with Mother or something.

The brunette boy looks over at his blonde brother, "Ever After High, huh?"

Daring hums, not exactly sure how to reply. Is Dexter surprised that Daring choose such a school? Or is he surprised the school would take someone like him in? He's more than just … well, he's more than just what Dexter thinks of him.

Daring pauses for just a second. When did he start these petty fights with Dexter? Who even starts these things in the first place?

"I like the school," Daring says like it wasn't recommended to him by their father. "It looks fun,"

Dexter lets out a snort. It's playful and non-malicious like Daring thought it would be. "I never thought you'd describe school as 'fun',"

Daring flashes his brother a smile. His mouth no longer felt as cramped as they use to be after he got his braces removed. It was perfect teeth central. "Maybe this school could be fun."

* * *

After entering high school, Daring notices a few things. People started falling in love with him. Or at least, the _idea_  of him: the stereotypical popular boy with golden hair, shiny teeth, a well-off family, a good spot on the football team and good grades.

Girls wanted to be  _with_  him. Boys wanted to  _be_  him.

So Daring changes. He fakes a proud voice. He starts acting a little arrogant, a little self-absorbed. He starts caring about his looks, caring about his silky hair and his clear skin and his straight pearly teeth.

Daring decided if no one wanted to love him at home, then he could at least be loved at school.

…

A girl waves as she passes by him in the hall. "Hi, Daring!"

"Hey!" Daring waves back.

"Daring, my man!" Some guy says.

"What's good?" Daring replies. He thinks this guy's in his … Chemistry class? Who knows?

"You, bro!"

"Daring, you're having lunch with us, right?" A girl with brown hair asks, a bunch of other students nod encouragingly behind her.

"Sure!" Daring chuckles and snaps his fingers at them in agreement.

"Sweet!"

Daring Charming doesn't think he's ever been greeted and praised this much in his entire life.

…

"Hi Daring," Apple White giggles as Briar Beauty nudges the pale blonde. Ashlynn Ella hides her second-hand blush behind a Math textbook. Ah, the popular clique.

"Yes? What's up, Apple?" Daring asks, head turned slightly away from his locker. Though, from the corner of his eye, he can still his reflection and practiced perfection that made everyone at school love him.

"I was wondering," Apple says, a finger curled around her hair, eyelashes fluttering. "If you would like to go see a movie with me this Friday?"

His lips curved upwards, giving that familiar grin. Daring doesn't even  _need_ to think about it. He tells her, "It would be my pleasure."

He was on top of the world.

…

Daring hopes things never change.

* * *

"Father always liked you best,"

Dexter had once said, sounding like the cliché bitter middle child. Clean and relaxed in the living room, an empty cup of tea sat on the coffee table. Dexter was fiddling with his laptop, coding or whatever. Not even in secondary school yet oh-so smart. No expectations to be the best at Ever After High.

Not like Daring. Daring who was sweaty and sore from football, dragging his muddy trainers on the living room's lovely carpet.

Daring bites down the need to scoff. If liking him best was displayed through a pat on the shoulder, an occasional praise of "Straight-A's, Daring? Good job!" and some recognition as the son to take over the news studio then sure. If anyone ever asked Daring personally, he wouldn't mind getting smuttered by motherly love like Dexter and Darling.

Father only pays attention to Daring because both he and Daring look like a spitting image of each other. Mr Charming sees everything in him in Daring – sunshine blonde hair, bright blue eyes, second-hand charisma.  _Everything_. From graduating from Ever After High to a good business school. So it's only natural that Mr Charming would expect the most from Daring.

Pushing back blonde hair away from his face, Daring feels the same swell in his chest as he did at age ten.

"It's because I  _do_  my best." Daring says but doesn't add the stinging words of 'Unlike you' to his words.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dexter replies lowly, a warning tone in his voice.

But Daring doesn't answer. Somewhere in Daring's head, he knows Dexter's only acting like this because someone must have picked on him or something. Perhaps another comparison of techy Dexter to charismatic Daring again. It was unfair. So instead, Daring just adjusts his backpack and states that he's going to take a shower.

* * *

Once Dexter and Darling hit the age of secondary school, they get separated. Mrs Charming decides it's best to send Darling to an all-girls' boarding school because Darling's apparently 'too rambunctious' for a girl of her class. But what do you expect, growing up with brothers?

Of course, there is protest. Lots of it. From both Dexter and Darling. Daring doesn't think he's ever seen the twins spend a day apart from each other. Never a day when they weren't sharing inside jokes or sharing funny videos or whispering secrets in some made-up language.

"Mother, you don't have to do this." Daring says, stepping in for Dexter who looks close to crying.

Mrs Charming looks at him. The look on her face looks she forgot he was there. It's nothing new. She tells him, "Yes, I do. She has to go. I only want to best for Darling."

Daring looks at Dexter from the corner of his eye. "Of course,"

…

It's only then, with Darling being sent away and Dexter being alone, does Daring reform his bond with Dexter. Maybe it was the distance of the twins or Daring's need to be a better brother or because Dexter just seemed like the kind of Freshman to be stuffed in a locker.

But whatever caused that push, it kept them from bickering like they used to. Daring knew things would be different but not like this.  _Not like this._

* * *

"Daring, dear, you like nest eggs (1), don't you?" Mrs Charming asks as she places a plate in front of him.

"Uh …" Daring's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. He looks over at Dexter who's busy eating breakfast to notice anything odd. "… Yes?"

"Perfect, wouldn't want to mess up a nutritious meal." Mrs Charming says and kisses the top of Daring's blonde head.

Daring blinks back, he almost leaned away from it. He's seen his mother kiss Dexter and Darling all the time but he always assumed as the  _other_  child, he was – well, too old to be babied – until now.

Once Mrs Charming disappears back into the kitchen, Daring turns to Dexter and taps his shoulder.

"Does Mother always kiss the top of your head?" Daring asks.

Dexter flashes Daring a weird look. "Duh, all the time. Both me and Darling always get that baby treatment from her. Why? Has she never kissed you that way?"

Daring pauses, hand reaching up to touch his hair. "… She has."

"Then why did you ask?" Dexter questions, willing to listen.

"I … I was just curious." Daring takes a bit into his toast to end the conversation.

…

On the ride to school, something clicks in Daring's head. With one less child to fuss about, Mrs Charming has nothing better to do but coo over Daring and his achievements.

…

Over time, it was more about just Daring and Dexter. More about Daring's football matches and his good grades and the fact that he's dating Apple White, one of the wealthiest girls in school. It was …

It was … a strange kind of different he didn't expect.

* * *

"What position did you put on your career application?" Dexter asks one day that they've both climbed onto the roof and looked up into the starry galaxy that made them feel small.

"Charming Co. CEO," Daring replies, shrugging. It almost slipped Daring's mind that Dexter was taking advanced classes and was catching up to him in applications for colleges. He mimics the words Dexter said to him all those years ago. "We have to take the business off Father's hands, we're his kids, remember?"

Dexter's own shoulders slump, he pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, I can see you as CEO."

"Hey, why so glum? You'll get a spot too. You know that we can co-CEO Father's company, right?"

"Yeah, but …"

"You'll definitely get a spot." Daring says, with more confidence now.

Dexter tosses the comment aside. "Yeah, as some lesser job like the  _boring_ weatherman."

"I bet you can say all those hard-to-pronounce state names." Daring jokes but then drops it when he sees the grey cloud hanging over Dexter's head. "Cheer up, brother, I'm sure you won't end up the weatherman." Daring says, confidence shining brightly now.

Dexter sighs. "You're right, Father probably won't even allow me on screen. I'll screw it up for sure. I'll probably end up as the guy who holds the mic above everyone's head. I don't have the upper body strength for that,"

Daring frowns at this as Dexter sinks lower into the idea of his choice of future. He doesn't know what to say.

"I wish Darling was here." Dexter says, voice far away, like Darling.

Daring turns the other cheek, far into the sky. At this moment, he wants to be far away too. Daring asks, "You miss her, huh?"

"Yeah," Dexter replies then lets out a laugh that surprises Daring, a nostalgic smile on his face. Dexter flashes it at Daring.

Daring mirrors Dexter's smile, though his is a sad one. He's had too much practice smiling. He doesn't have the heart to tell Dexter a secret that he's kept to himself for a long time.

…

Daring never told anyone this but he was secretly glad Darling went away. He knows there's the cliché family roles but he, Daring Charming, the oldest child, has always felt overshadowed by Darling, the youngest.

Darling was almost like a carbon copy of him, but  **better**. Braver, smarter, selfless. What was there not to love about her in the family? The only girl, a twin AND the youngest.

She was better than him. Always was and always will be better than him. And Daring knew he could never compete with that sort of charm. If he could freeze time, he would. He  _definitely_  would. And as the years pass, Daring thinks maybe he can keep this secret up until he graduates.

.

.

.

He thinks wrong.

.

.

.

Things change.

.

.

.

Darling comes back in Daring's final year as a Senior at Ever After High.

* * *

"For goodness sake, Daring, put on a shirt. You can't just parade around in your pajama bottoms," Mrs Charming scolds. "Can't you sleep in clothes like Dexterous?"

Dexter pauses his cereal eating, looking down at his plated matching sleeping set, while Daring stops mid-sip of his juice. It's nine AM on a weekend, everyone is still in their pajamas but it's not like they have guests over or anything.

"What?" Daring asks. He's had the luxury of walking around the comfort of his home like this, one less article on his body, for several years now. What difference is there now –

"Good morning!" A gentle voice greets, bright as the morning sun.

Oh.

_Oh._

Right.

The blonde boy pushes himself away from the dining table as Darling takes a seat besides their mother.

"I'll put on a shirt now," He mutters.

Daring almost forgot what it was like having Darling back around the house. Daring almost forgot what it was like being compared to the twins.

* * *

"Daring, is something wrong?" Apple asks one day during their lunch date. She notices he's been acting odd lately – spacing out and being reserved. She touches his hand. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Um …" Daring looks deep into Apple's eyes.

 _No_. He decides. He can't just dump his weird Darling-insecurities on Apple. That would make him look like a terrible brother to the twins and a terrible boyfriend to Apple.

He says to her, clasping his hands over her pale ones. "It's okay, Apple. It's nothing. I just have a few things on my mind. But it'll get sorted out."

Apple holds his gaze, worried, searching for something until she can't take the silence. "If you say so." She tells him though she's not entirely convinced. "But just so you know, you don't have to keep it to yourself. You can tell me if you want to when it feels too much for you."

His expression softens. Apple White is the best girlfriend,  _ever._  She's beautiful, sweet as her name and considerate. He kisses her hands as a gesture that he appreciates her kind words. "Thank you," He says.

"I hope it gets resolved soon."

Daring holds the words he can't exactly say. 'I hope so too.'

…

"Apple, you have to talk to Ashlynn. It's not healthy. I can't keep running back and forth between you two." Briar says, tucking her hands in her warm Winter pockets.

"… Maybe … But not right now, please. You know I'm going through something. I may have to talk to Daring about this first but …"

Briar frowns. She wished she looked scary when she was angry. She tells Apple bluntly, "You're a mess, Apple. You need to stop putting things off."

"At least, I'm more put together than that guy in shorts," Apple says. Because, honestly, shorts (short  _shorts_ ) in Winter?

Apple looks at Briar. Their trio has dwindled down to a duo. Ashlynn's run off somewhere (or rather to someone). It's been like that for a while now.

"Erm, Apple …" Briar's face twists with a look that says 'I've got news for you'. "That guy  _is_  Daring," Briar states.

"It can't be him," The pale blonde puffs up her chest. Apple's seen Daring in shorts but not that kinda shorts. Just above-the-knee shorts during football. She asks, "Can it … ?"

Briar turns to Apple, "Has Daring been okay? I haven't seen him around you in a while. Are you guys on break or something?"

"I ... No. He's just going through some stuff." Apple defends Daring's disastrous state.

"Like you?" Briar asks, still a little angry.

Apple feels her gut drop. She says in an unconvincing voice, "… Yeah, like me."

…

"Apple, can you spare a few hours?" Daring calls, he really needs to talk to someone right now. Someone who wasn't related to Darling or Dexter or his parents.

The pale blonde looks up from her phone. Her eyebrows furrow, she bites her red, red lips. "I … I'm sorry, Daring. I have to go. I can't talk at the moment but …"

He waits for her to finish her words.

"I'll talk to you later, okay?" She rushes out of the hall before he can say anything.

…

Somewhere along the way, Daring started withdrawing away from Apple. Or maybe it was the other way around. Apple started hanging out with Darling. They had met at Hocus Latte by accidentally grabbing the same drink. Apparently, the two girls liked the same type of specific latte. Daring thinks, maybe Apple realised how fake he is. How he isn't put together. How his smile is just something trained in front of a mirror. Just hours and hours spent perfecting the perfect smile to dazzle and blind. Or maybe it was just Darling Charming herself, but that was enough.

* * *

"Out here alone?" A voice asks.

Daring looks up from the floor he's staring at. An empty beer can by his side. The biggest party of the year is being thrown by Briar Beauty yet here he is, sitting on the driveway, talking to the party thrower's cousin. The booming music makes it too hard for Daring to think.

"Oh, hey, Rosabella," Daring says.

Rosabella pushes her glasses up her nose, deep in thought as if thinking if she should stay or walk away and go back to the party. "Mind if I sit?"

"Not at all." Daring replies and motions at the endless spots to sit on the concrete ground. He flashes her one of his fakest grin.

The Beauty family are wealthy orchid owners – growing fresh fruits and the greenest vegetables and the prettiest flowers – a rose crest as their signature. Daring doesn't know much about them aside from the fact that Briar was BFFs with Apple and Ashlynn or something while Rosabella had moved a year ago after Briar and Rosabella's parents had agreed to manage the orchid together instead of branching off and starting a new small orchid from scratch. The Beauty cousins have their whole future planned. Briar's going to go into Business to find an efficient economic way to manage the company and juggle the staff while Rosabella's going to go into Sciences to find a way to produce crops at a greater value and maintain its long life.

"I don't think I've ever seen you completely alone and not surrounded by people before." Rosabella says, smoothening her skirt as she talks to him.

Daring lets out a chuckle. It sounds more bitter than it should be. "Yeah," He replies through the direction he's looking at is anywhere but at her. "I realised I haven't got that many true friends."

Rosabella puts an encouraging hand on his shoulder and squeezes. "Then you should make new friends. Start afresh, it's never too late."

"How? Everyone knows me as I am."

"Daring …"

"I can't really let go of high school me just yet. I like it too much." Daring admits, pushing her hand away. "I like  _high school_  too much."

"Why do you care so much about high school?" Rosabella turns so her attention is fully concentrated on him.

"Because it's the only time I matter." Daring confesses. Never in his life would he imagine drunk him being this vulnerable or fragile.

She says in a soft voice, "That's not true."

"You heard it on the news –" The news channel his father owns. "– popular kids become nothing after they graduate. They just end up homeless or drug addicts or pregnant by the wrong guy." Daring says, brave or perhaps reckless. Alcohol influenced and all. "What good qualities do I have out there in the job industry after this?"

"Tons," Rosabella tells Daring, touching his shoulder again.

"Charming people isn't a skill. Anyone can fake it." Daring says, he hates the angry smile forming on his face. It's  _too_ genuine. It's not like the fake ones he practices. "I'm not like my siblings."

"What do you mean?" Rosabella says and she almost feels scared to hear the answer.

"They've always been better than me. It's always the twins this and the twins that. Oh look, Dexter is so smart! High tech and sweet! Oh look, Darling is so brave and independent and selfless! I'm nothing. I'm just Daring Charming, someone you'll forget."

* * *

Rosabella asks Daring to hang out every single day after that night. Often, she's with her cousin, Briar, and sweetheart couple; Ashlynn and Hunter.

Daring looks at the group beckoning him at the fast food place. Rosabella gets Daring's order and says that this one's on her while Briar's got her own food and Hunter pays for his and Ashlynn's. While Rosabella goes and order with the help of Hunter to carry the trays, Daring gets put in the position to talk to Briar and Ashlynn.

He can't help but ask, "Why aren't you two with Apple?"

Ashlynn pauses, green eyes widening. Daring has always known Ashlynn was a little shy so he didn't expect her to come right out and say it. But Briar, on the other hand, she's bold.

"Oh," Briar speaks up. "Apple ... kinda stopped hanging out with us. It happened ages ago."

 _Ages ago?_  Daring thinks.  _Oh._

He's quiet until he has a new thought. He thinks he's been a shitty boyfriend for not noticing.

"She ..." Briar looks at Ashlynn as if to ask for permission to speak.

Ashlynn sucks in a deep breath in return. Both girls seem to have this mental telepathic talk before continuing the conversation.

"We had a fight." Ashlynn says, starting off slow. There's too much hesitation in this conversation. "Apple ... she ... she didn't like the fact that –"

"Apple didn't like the fact that Ashlynn was dating Hunter." Briar answers for Ashlynn, though it seems more like a cover-up.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Daring apologises, he already feels out of place. This was just awkward. He can't believe he has to ask his girlfriend's  _ex-friends_ about his  _own_ girlfriend.

Ashlynn shakes her head, sending strawberry blonde curls flying, telling him it was okay. "We  _did_ try to convince her we could get past it and still be friends but ..." She doesn't finish her words and Briar gives Ashlynn a soft look.

Daring stares down at his hands. "Ah,"

* * *

"You're dating Apple?" Daring asks though he wished he hadn't.

"It sort of happened," Darling says, a finger coiling around her silver-ish blonde hair, unaware that Daring and Apple were a thing.

"When?" Daring asks. He tries not to think about the fact that the power couple of Ever After High had fallen apart. Daring tries to convinced himself they had been falling apart anyways before Darling came back.

Darling tells him, "I did mouth-to-mouth on her at a party during a freak accident and I just started thinking about how I liked kissing her."

Daring watches his sister blush, feeling a boiling sensation in the pit of his stomach. Blue stares into blue.

Darling laughs as if embarrassed, "Though, I didn't really have any romantic intention of falling for Apple the first place," She says, "But I'm glad she was bi too."

Daring clicks his jaw. He never knew Apple was bisexual but he guesses he doesn't need to know much about his ex-girlfriend anymore. About her ex-friend and new life and … God, when did they break up? It just felt like they drifted away.

But, on the other hand, well, can Daring really say he's surprised? He hasn't exactly paid attention to Apple in  _months._ **Months!**

… But … still …

He knew his relationship with Apple was sinking like the Titanic but maybe, he thought, he could find a lifeboat or something to save it and keep it afloat.

"Right," He replies then adds with a flat voice, "I hope you're happy with her,"

Darling smiles, a genuinely happy one. Never fake like his. She says, "Apple's sweet. I like her."

Daring swallows the lump in his throat. "I know that feeling."

…

It's almost a fitting swap. Apple takes his sister and he takes Apple's friends. Though, Daring never imagined – he never imagined Apple being the last person he had to cut ties with.

* * *

 (1) Nest eggs – A toast and egg recipe. The middle of a piece of bread is cut out and an egg gets fried in it over a frying pan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't think I'd come back to EAH after that Apple one-shot. I don't know why I made Dexter so whiney? I like him a lot, he's adorable! I have so many questions for myself. Like why did I make Apple seem like a bitch? Why did I destroy Daring? He doesn't have comfort at home and now his comfort at school is shit too. My favourite characters are Darling and Jillian Beanstalk but for some reason, I'm writing about the Royals (?)
> 
> I ship Dexter x Raven and Darling x Apple but, boy, do I stray from fanfics who cater to these ships.
> 
> I dunno bro but angst and plot always triumph over ships.
> 
> – 2 February 2018


	2. part two

**99 cent dreams**

* * *

  **part two: Apple White**

* * *

Oh my lover, my lover, my love!  
We can never go back, we can only do our best to recreate,  
Don't turn over the page, we should rip it straight out,  
Then let's try our very best to fake it.

–  **Bastille** ,  _Fake It_

* * *

 

* * *

  **i**

* * *

"Remember, Apple, you have to be on your very  _best_ behaviour. You have to do everything as I say, you have to do to it  _perfectly_. I will not tolerate any hiccups on the way," Snow White says, drilling her young daughter as usual.

"Yes, mom." Apple nods at her mother. Or, more specifically, at the mirror Snow has guided Apple to. She stares into it and her reflection stare back at her; a young naïve girl with curly pale blonde hair and red, red lips. Her grey-blue eyes flash just the perfect amount of determination to strut down the hallway with confidence yet also just enough razzle-dazzle to woo others that are wrapped around her finger.

Perfect; something Apple White had to be.

Perfect,  _perfect_ ,  **perfect**  – a dream that Snow White wants to make a reality for Apple.

It can't be helped. The White family had expectations to live up to. They had to be perfect –  _always_  with their clear skin, shinny hair and smart clothes. It was a requirement for them to look ready at all times with their pressed down collared shirts and polished shoes.

Snow continues advising her daughter, "You're a natural born leader, Apple. But you have to remember: people carry you. You can't be a leader if there's nobody to lead. People are important. Stick to the right crowd and you'll find yourself rewarded in no time."

The young girl had to satisfy all the qualities to be  _the_  perfect leader. Not  **a**  leader, but  **THE** leader. The highest among the high. She had to be smart, sociable among the top at the hierarchy and confident.

Apple nods again.

She thinks – no, she  _knows_  – she's ready to face the horrors of high school head on. She  **had**  to be. She's prepared herself through the entirety of middle school to get into this high school. Soon she'll step into Ever After High. A high school that her mother said was "very prestigious" and "built pathways and opened doors for the elite", mostly focused on Business and hard Sciences with some Arts thrown to the side.

(But Apple tells herself no one in their right mind would go for the art program in such a school).

"I hope you're ready," Snow says, perfect manicure hands gripping onto Apple's shoulders.

Apple ignores the tightness of her mother's hold and says to her reflection, "I am."

Generations of her family have attended this school and all of them had grown successful from all the opportunities the school have given them. Failure was  _not_  an option.

It was her first day of high school.

.

.

.

(Apple just wished she'd known the person she had built herself to be through middle school could not stand up to high school and puberty and the drama that followed)

* * *

**ii**

* * *

"Let me guess, you'll be spending Summer vacation working at  _The Glass Slipper_?" Apple White asks.

"Same old, same old." Ashlynn Ella says, her hands wrapped around a cup of iced tea. "I have to get a few things under my belt before my step-sisters beat me to the punch. Anyways, what are you two doing this Summer?"

The three girls attempt to spend some time together before Summer officially starts. Because, as soon as that's over, Junior year will be around the corner. Currently, Hocus Latte café is serving as a nice little spot against the heat and harsh reality of being born into business-based families.

"Oh, y'know, 'family holiday' spent together." Briar Beauty answers though Apple and Ashlynn can hear the sarcasm in her voice. "My parents and I are going to visit my cousin Rosabella and her parents." Then she pauses and says in an almost secretive whisper to sprinkle the sarcasm behind her words. "Though, I don't think it's anything much of a holiday. I think the adults just want to discuss the orchid's future." Briar lifts her shoulder as she says the next line. "Rosabella might move here in a year or so if our parents think it's fitting but I dunno yet."

"Shouldn't that be a good thing?" Ashlynn asks and looks over at Apple. The pale girl says nothing and continues sipping her latte. "You're close friends with your cousin, right?"

"Yeah but …" Briar trails off, flicking her finger against her own empty cup of coffee. It makes a 'klick' sound as Briar chews on the inside of her cheek, thinking. It's almost stereotypical how these girls are hanging out at a coffee shop. "… it's not going to be fun if she's coming over for the sake of the family business. I'm sure my parents will go into serious-overdrive and make me spend my weekends at the orchid, getting my hands dirty with soil and hanging out with trees,"

"And what's wrong with that?" Ashlynn asks, the strawberry blonde girl was a little bit of a 'nature freak'.

Briar merely pushes her lips together in a soft frown. "Nothing if I had an interest in it but I don't so – uh, no thanks. I wanna live a little."

Apple puts down her cup and smiles almost teasingly. "Don't want to miss any parties, Briar?"

" _Hey_ , I know my rep. It's not my fault I like partying." Briar says, squinting at Apple though there is no malice in her voice. "I just wanna have fun while I can. You know partying isn't the only interest I have but …" She then sighs. "Welp, yeah … those are my Summer plans."

Ashlynn rolls her eyes playfully and gesture to the other blonde girl, "What about you, Apple?"

"Internship at my parents' business." Apple says almost immediately, pale hands playing with her cup.

"Internship? Why?" Briar raises a brow. "You're years away from taking over your family business! You probably won't take over until you're in your mid-twenties or something,"

"Briar, both what you and Ashlynn are doing this Summer is almost equivalent to what I'm doing except with a less fancier title."

The brunette explains. "Yeah, but Ash and I are a little different. You don't have any competition like me and Rosabella or Ash with her step-sisters. You're the sole heiress of your family's business, no one's going to take your spot. You automatically become the boss after your parents give you the green light."

"I may not be in the same boat as you or Ashlynn," Apple says. "But I do still have a duty. It's not easy being the sole heiress, it's  _hard_ , all the responsibilities are on  **me**. There's no other option."

Briar blinks at Apple in return. "Well, if you say it like that, I guess so."

Ashlynn licks her lips and asks, "Just how far have you planned everything?"

"Everything? Ah, well, I already know where I'll end up working so ..." Apple says. "… so, I suppose down to the university I plan to be graduating from,"

"University?" Briar asks, raising a sculpted brow, rose petal pink contacts stare at Apple's stormy blue-grey eyes.

"Yeah, I plan to get a scholarship," Apple answers Briar and finishes the last of her latte. "My mom said I could make it big if I maintain my straight As and extra curriculum."

"Hmm," Ashlynn hums. "Sounds like you already have your entire future planned out. Briar and I are still working out the kinks – or, at least – our parents are. We don't even know what we're inheriting yet but something tells me we'll find out soon." Ashlynn says, speaking on behalf of Briar, they've always been a little closer to each other since Apple has the tendency to flit around to different groups.

"There's no harm looking ahead," Apple says, eyebrows curving. It can't be helped that their lives were based on businesses and driven family members. She picks up her cup as a reflex.

Briar lets out a laugh. "All this and half of us don't even know how to drive yet."

Apple only smiles against her coffee cup. She was so caught up with the conversation that she forgot it was already empty.

* * *

**iii**

* * *

"Apple!"

Apple pauses, mid-applying her red, red lipstick. She doesn't think she's ever heard  _anyone_  yell her name so excitedly before. Apple turns away from the mirror in her locker and stares at the person yelling her name out. The moment her blue-grey eyes land on the said person, her face breaks out into a grin.

Apple closes her locker shut and diverts her attention to Ashlynn. Sweet, pretty, soft-spoke, kind Ashlynn Ella.

"Ash!" Apple beams back, just as excited. She finds herself giggling in a strange high pitch manner.

The girls let out a sharp squeal and Ashlynn whooshes in for a hug. At first, Apple stills. It's was an unexpected move, Apple didn't expect them to embrace so suddenly. They were considered 'best friends' but they also weren't  _that_  close. But then again, it was a pleasant surprise. Something Apple can't help but commit to as she sighs into the crook of Ashlynn's neck. Apple wraps her arms around the strawberry blonde, wanting to melt into the tight hug.

"I missed you so much!" Ashlynn says.

For the second time in the span of five seconds, Apple once again finds herself pausing. Truth be told, they've been (best?) friends since middle school but Ashlynn's always been shy and not all that into sudden hugs. Apple did not expect Ashlynn to miss her so much. They've only been away from each other for three months or so. But still, these words find themselves worming into Apple's heart. She feels her face to glow with warmth.

"Me too," Apple says. She convinces herself that telling Ashlynn 'I miss you too' was too embarrassing and a mouthful to say.

"Aww," Ashlynn responses and pulls away.

For a fleeting moment, Apple feels almost sad. Sad that Ashlynn isn't as close and that the warmth of her body is no longer pressed up against Apple's until she catches herself feeling so.

 _Hmm._  Apple thinks to herself.  _Odd._

It wasn't like they couldn't hug another time or whatever. What was there to miss? Apple reasons with herself that that split-second feeling was a silly thing and that Ashlynn was right in front of her so there was nothing to feel sad about.

"You're oddly late," Apple notes, smiling wide in a teasing manner.

"Step-sisters," Ashlynn says and rolls her green eyes for effect.

It, however, is bad acting. Apple can tell. There's something in Ashlynn's voice that said otherwise. An obvious excuse that told Apple that Ashlynn had lingered doing something else before coming over to Apple's locker.

"Weeell," Apple says, rolling her 'E's, "If you say so."

Ashlynn only responses by playfully pushing Apple's arm before realising something. Ashlynn asks, looking around the hall. "Where's Briar?"

This makes Apple blinks back. Oh,  _right._ "Oh, she probably overslept." Apple says airily.

For some reason, Apple finds herself wanting Ashlynn to forget about Briar. Forget about the brunette for just a moment to focus on Apple and  _only_ Apple. No one else. Just her. Apple doesn't think she's ever been  _this_ hungry (selfish even) for attention.

"Hmm, I guess so." Ashlynn hums. The soft noise makes Apple's chest beat twice as fast.

"Don't worry. Briar's just late. You know her." Apple adds.

Ashlynn makes a face, she opens her mouth, ready to reply. Apple subconsciously leans in, an ear ready to listen but the bell rings before Ashlynn can say anything.

Apple finds herself frowning.  _Oh_ , that damn bell!

Ashlynn's large doe eyes flutter. She looks panicked. "Oh, I have to go, Apple, I can't be late or Professor Rumpelstiltskin will get crossed. I heard the last kid who was late got detention for a month straight."

Apple finds her gut twisting. The last thing she wants is for Ashlynn to get in trouble because of her. "Yeah, sure, go. I'll see you at lunch, yeah?"

Ashlynn smiles. "Yeah, see you later!"

Apple nods and waves good-bye. For some reason, she finds herself looking forward to lunch period a little too much.

…

"And then I said –" Briar pauses in the middle of her own story to let out a loud laugh as she slaps the surface of the lunch table they were seated at.

Ashlynn reacts by mirroring Briar's cheery expression. Her face lights up, cheeks flushed with happiness and teeth showing as she smiles.

Briar waves her hands frantically with excitement, "I said – ha! Oh my God, give me a moment!"

With her cheek in her pale hand, Apple finds herself dazing in and out of Briar's story. It was strange. Don't get Apple wrong, Briar's stories were usually always exciting and action packed. Totally worth listening to but right now … Apple finds herself gravitating towards Ashlynn's direction. There was something about Ashlynn. Something about her that was catching Apple's attention more.

 _Something_ that felt like a kick in Apple's chest makes her heart beat twice as fast.

"Okay, okay, I'm composing myself,  _really_ , then I said –" The school bell rings before Briar can finish her story. Briar grumbles, "Aww, I was just getting to the best part!"

Apple suggests, almost jumping at the chance. "How about we catch up after school? Hocus lattes at the café?"

Ashlynn asks, "Don't you want to catch up with Daring?"

Apple blinks. Oh,  _right_ , her boyfriend since Freshman year. "No, he can wait. I'd rather spend the day with my best friends."

And the two exchange a smile in response to that.

Apple says, "Lots and lots of cream for Briar and vanilla chai for Ashlynn?"

"Nutmeg for Apple." Briar suggests the same time Ashlynn says, "Double foam with apple caramel, right?"

There's not even a moment to pause. Briar looks at Apple straight in the eye, pink contacts blinking in confusion. "What? Double foam? Apple caramel? Since when?"

Apple pauses, thinking. This was truly a question worth pondering over. Since when has Apple liked such a drink? Well … she guesses since Summer vacation before Junior year started. It kinda happened after Briar went on her family vacation which caused the trio to shrink into a duo.

Apple twists a long curl of hair in her finger. "After you went off, Ash and I spent a couple of weeks trying new coffees."

"The double foam apple caramel latte was originally mine but I let Apple try some and after that …" Ashlynn looks at the blonde's direction as if sharing an inside joke.

Apple's eyes crinkle in amusement, she bobs her head as if getting where Ashlynn was going with the story. "After that, I just couldn't get enough of it. I just took a sip of it then was immediately sold."

"I spend not even a month away from you two and suddenly you've become  _ultimate_ best friends?" Briar practically sputters. "But, Apple, you've liked nutmeg for the entirety of middle school!"

"I know, but what's a little change going to hurt?" Apple laughs, it sounded almost nervous.

Briar gaps, shocked by Apple's change. The girl breathes a repetitive schedule-based life. Often nothing changes because Apple's perfect life doesn't need change.

Ashlynn looks at Apple in the eye again and smiles. She says, "I think it's a good thing."

Apple's face pinkens, something digs into her stomach. It's a sensation that Apple is willing to put up with. She doesn't know why, she can't really put a finger on it. After all, it seems so out of place from her perfect life. But she's just willing to put this oddity aside for the time being.

* * *

"Where's Ash?" Apple asks as she sits down at their usual lunch table.

Apple thinks it feels like forever since the trio has sat down and have lunch together. Apple's been super preoccupied as usual, jumping from table to table as the other popular kids invite her to spend time with them. On Monday, it was the cheerleaders. Tuesday was with Daring, Wednesday was the student committee members and Thursday was with the jocks that flock over her. Apple White is a busy person.

Briar looks at Apple, her glossed lips tug slightly. She's looking at Apple in a hush-hush manner. "Oh, Ashlynn?"

Apple raises a blonde brow. "Uh, yeah?"

"She's … busy."

"Um," Apple chews on her bottom lip as she pours her tea out of her thermos and into a cup. "Okay?"

"Sorry," Briar apologises. "She told me not to tell you."

"Why? Is it a surprise?" Apple asks, hopeful.

"You could say that." Briar responses, trying not to push her food around too much. "Just don't worry about it, okay?"

* * *

"Ash, can I borrow your notes?" Apple asks. "I need them," – This, is a big fat lie.

Ashlynn hums, dreamily, twirling her pen decorated with flower prints. She's doted her 'i's with hearts as she writes, though she doesn't show Apple this. She asks, sounding far away. "What?"

"Your notes," Apple repeats.

"Oh, yeah, sure." Ashlynn says and looks far away again. She flips to today's notes and pushes it to Apple's direction.

"Thanks," The blonde says and takes a peak at Ashlynn's neat handwriting.

Apple pretends to jolt down a few things into her own notes until she gets the opportunity to flip to the page Ashlynn was preoccupied with. The mindless doodles scribbled on the page makes Apple feel a little … negative. Queasy even. Almost a sinking feeling. Why was she experiencing this? It's not like anything bad has happened in her life. It's not like she failed a test or had a nasty break up with Daring Charming.

Apple White can't help but feel something fake resides itself in her picture-perfect life.

* * *

"Hide me!" Ashlynn practically yells while her voice dips in an attempt to secretly whisper these words. The strawberry blonde dives between her friends.

"What?" Apple turns away from her reflection in her mirror.

"It's the thing I couldn't tell you before, Apple. But since Ash is here. I guess I have permission spill." Briar says then gives Ashlynn a look.

Ashlynn's a flustered mess. "I need help,"

Okay, that's consent to speak.

"It's a crush alert." Briar explains. "Ashlynn's crush is probably walking by or something." Briar teases and Ashlynn shushes her in panic.

"A crush? On who?" Apple asks though she already knows the answer. She just wants to hear it from Ashlynn herself.

Ashlynn squeaks. "Hunter Huntsman, okay? Now shush. He's coming and he'll hear you!"

"You're the one whisper-yelling, Ash." Briar teases again.

"Hunter?" Apple presses her lips together. "But he's so ..." She doesn't dare finish these words.

Apple knows Ashlynn's shy. Even to the point of being incredibly shy when flustered. So logically, there's  **no chance**  that Ashlynn and Hunter would ever be a thing. He's too busy riding his skateboard around school and picking fights with that annoying, loud ginger who plays his electric guitar on full volume. Sparrow something? Or was Sparrow his last name?

"Ash – "

"Shush!" Ashlynn parrots, putting a finger between her lips and attempts to hide behind Apple.

The blonde girl looks back at her friend. All she can do is keep quiet and frown until Hunter walks pass them. Apple tries not to glare too hard at the back of his head.

...

Ashlynn insists they have a code name for Hunter which really isn't the best kinda name. It's 'Gunter Guntsman'. Pretty lame if you ask Apple but the blonde girl is convinced that  _this_  (whatever 'this' is) will blow over in a few months, if not, sooner.

…

"You guys will never believe it!" Ashlynn says, giddy. Her hands are flying all over the place in excitement and she's letting out these high pitch giggles. The same kind Apple had when she saw Apple on the first day of Junior year.

Apple stops eating her lunch, her face immediately mirrors Ashlynn's. She likes it when Ashlynn's happy. It makes her happy too.

Briar tells the girl, "Spill,"

"Hunter – I mean Gunter – I mean, whatever, you know who we're talking about – he and I are in the same club! I get to see him after school and on nature trips, surrounded by soil and plants and animals, isn't that romantic?!"

"What club?" Briar asks.

Apple keeps her mouth clamped shut. She is, however, grateful that Briar asked because she doesn't think she has the strength to deal with this conversation right now.

"The Nature Society!" Ashlynn replies, still giddy.

"Aww," Briar coos. "That's  _so_  cute. You guys are totally made for each other. We support you two. Don't we, Apple?"

Her two friends turn to Apple as soon as these words leave Briar's mouth. Ashlynn's green eyes sparkle in anticipation.

The food in Apple's mouth no longer tastes as appealing as it did a minute ago. Now all Apple wanted to do was wash it down with something strong, like sweet juice.

Apple fakes a grin and says, "Yeah, we sure do."

…

"Wow, Apple, I didn't think you'd be interested in the Nature Society too! Why'd you join?" Ashlynn asks, grinning, strawberry blonde hair tied in a high ponytail. She's kneeling down, planting, hands covered in dirt.

They're out in the great outdoors. The club members have branched off, planting their own choice of greenery. Apple's done with hers. She had hurriedly planted her flowers so she that she could spend her remaining time with Ashlynn. She probably butchered planting but it's not like anyone would blame her for it.

"Well …" Apple trails off, face feeling a familiar warmth, before meeting Ashlynn's gaze. Apple lifts a shoulder, trying to be modest. She tries to be discrete yet also not really, "Uh – besides the fact that I like spending time with you, Ash, I …" She trails off, dirty gloved hands curled into tight fists. "… I think there's nothing wrong with adding an extracurricular to my CV for future references."

"Sure," Ashlynn laughs. "Anything to get that scholarship, right?"

"Yeah. And – and you're my friend, Ash, so I thought I'd support you." Apple says, not exactly a lie but not exactly the truth either.

"Aww," Ashlynn coos. "Thanks, Apple."

"Yeah, you're welcome." Apple says. There's a pause. They exchange smiles. Her chest throbs. Apple repeats herself, she feels weak, " _You're welcome_."

* * *

Apple finds herself staring at Ashlynn a lot during their conversations despite Briar being the one doing most of the talking. Usually, Apple can play it off with "I was just wondering what eyeshadow pallet you're using" or "Sorry, I thought there was a bug in your hair" but Apple knows sooner or later, she'll run out of excuses.

Apple tells herself she's looking out for Ashlynn. With soft, shy Ashlynn Ella's heart being so fragile, constantly gushing over 'Gunter', anything's bound to break it. Or at least, that's what Apple tells herself.

…

Ashlynn finally musters the bravery to ask Hunter out after gushing about him for three months straight.

.

.

.

They become official not even a week later.

* * *

Apple finds her chest aching – a lot. It  **hurt**  to be around Ashlynn.  _So much._  Yet, Apple also finds herself unable to stop thinking about Ashlynn. The strawberry blonde girl was constantly on Apple's mind, running around twenty-four hours liked a power fuelled freak athlete. All this, yet, Apple still can't pin-point why she's feeling this way.

"Ash's flaking out on us –  _again_?" Apple asks, not even trying to disguise the ache in her voice.

Briar's sculptured eyebrows dip. "I'm sorry, Apple. You know how couples act."

Apple grits her teeth. "No," She says, almost too quickly. "No, I don't. Daring and I don't act like that."

Briar stills, taking Apple's words into consideration. Apple was right, not all couples act like Hunter and Ashlynn. But then again ... couples like Apple and Daring were a little  _different_  when it came to being together.

Sure, Daring and Apple have been hanging out a lot more this year. Like,  _a lot_. But not to the point where either of them blew off any of their friends to be together  _privately_. Unless it was date night or whatever but that was scheduled. Plus, Apple was usually a sociable person so it wasn't strange for her to be with different groups, rotating weekly (if not daily), an almost clockwork life.

If anyone asked Briar, it didn't even seem like Apple cared that much about Daring Charming, her supposed-to-be boyfriend. Daring who brought her flowers. Daring who buys her hair ornaments like pretty red ribbons and cute hairclips. But Briar guesses, all Apple had to do was stroke Daring's (ginormous) ego and he'd shower her with just about anything he thought Apple fancied.

Briar lets out a sigh. Maybe she's thinking too negatively about Daring. She barely even knows him all that well. He might not be such a bad guy.

"Tell you what?" Briar tells Apple, making the blonde girl focus on her. "Why don't we hang out this Saturday. A day just to ourselves. Just me and you and no one else, huh?"

Apple looks at Briar. Blue-grey to pink. Apple wants to snap. She really does. She's so God damn frustrated. But Apple's also oh-so tired of being angry all the time. She knows Briar is trying.  _Really_ trying. It wouldn't be fair if Apple just blew her off just because she was upset with Ashlynn and Hunter and their togetherness.

Apple swallows the bitter taste in her mouth, "… Okay,"

"That's the spirit!"

* * *

"You don't need to look perfect all the time, Apple." Briar says, always bold. Always saying what's on her mind. Someone who never hides in corners. She tells her friend, "If you ask me, I think you're super pretty without make-up."

Apple's mouth drops into a small 'O'. Something throbs in Apple's chest. Something strong. Something  _familiar_. Apple's felt this way around Ashlynn. Still feels this way,  _actually._  Was it possible to feel this way for Briar too? Was it possible to feel this way around two girls?  **About**  two girls? Her best friends?

The year has been such a roller-coaster ride of wild feelings.

Apple swallows a lump in her throat, she hopes Ashlynn and Briar don't think she's choosing between them. She hopes her mother doesn't find out. Apple thinks this awkwardly flustered kind of feeling shouldn't be felt between girls.

The room falls silent except for the music blaring out of Briar's phone. Apple does nothing but control her steady breathing and warm cheeks. Locking her phone with a press of a finger, Apple studies Briar through the dark screen's reflection. Briar Beauty, one of her best friends, who is bold and smart and loyal. Apple's blue-grey eyes lift from the phone in her lap and stares at Briar behind pale blonde eyelashes.

"Hey, Briar?" Apple asks finally, biting the lower of her lip.

"Yeah?" Briar looks up from painting Apple's nails. She gives the girl her full undivided attention and stares at Apple's face. Apple's face that was clean and make-up  _free_. Something not many people have seen. Including Daring himself.

Apple had a fleeting thought, questioning if Daring was a good boyfriend for never seeing her at her bare minimum. Apple lowers her eyes, her voice now becomes small, "… Thank you."

Briar laughs in return.

"And uh, I think you're really pretty too." Apple says softly. "Beautiful, actually."

Apple holds back from saying 'Like your last name'.

Briar only continues laughing in comfort. "Why are you suddenly acting so shy? You shouldn't think so lowly of yourself."

"I … I don't," Apple fibs. "It's just … yeah. It was just a nice thing for you to say."

"I'm one of your best friends, aren't I?" Briar questions. "I'll never lie to you."

A pause stretches until it doesn't.

"Briar, thank you, really … for today." Apple trails off, she wants to ball her hands into fists if not for the fact that Briar was holding onto it, painting it a bright red. "I feel so much better. I'm sorry about the way I've been acting."

"Don't apologise. You're only human. You're allowed to feel, Apple." Briar says.

"I'm allowed to feel …?" Apple echoes. Nothing follows after this. Instead, a hum is the only thing Apple sounds before pretending to be interested in the latest gossip.

…

As the moon rises and the girls slowly fall asleep under the same covers, Apple lets her mind wander. She remembers something her mother had once said. Something about boys treating girls meanly when they like them. How they act a little more snobbish to look cool. How they pretend everything is too much of a chore to not look soft. How they roll their eyes and belittle the interests of their girls to … to … well, she doesn't exactly know.

Guys are always acting like they're hot stuff around her. With their fancy cars and official Letterman jackets even when she says she's not interested. They don't take 'no' for an answer.  **Except**  Daring. Because Daring's  _special_. He's a gentleman. He's every girls' ideal boyfriend. Daring's  _Apple_ 's boyfriend. He's –

But with girls … they were just always so nice to her and polite and caring.

If her mother's words were right about mean boys then what does that say about girls acting sweet on each other?

* * *

"Hopper's creeping around you again." Apple notes as she reapplies her red, red lipstick and clicks her small compact mirror.  **Never** underestimate a good mirror.

Briar rolls her eyes, though it's more aimed for Apple. "Oh hush, he's not creeping. He's just awkward and doesn't know how to act around girls. I know he has a crush on me, it's obvious."

Apple wags her perfectly manicured finger. "But you don't like him."

"I dunno ..."

"Briar, you  _can't_  be serious."

"I think he's … kinda cute. I hear he's good with words and writes poetry. Maybe one day he'll have the guts to write me a poetic love poem and ask me to the dance at the end of the year." Briar says, a smile on her face (if not the Junior dance then there's always prom in Senior year, which Briar knows Apple will run as prom queen).

Bria pretends to not notice the glares Apple throws at Hopper from afar. The blonde girl has been acting meaner and meaner as Junior near its end.

Apple doesn't even try to hide the scowl on her face. "Well, he's  _short_. If he asks you to the dance, you'd be towering over him."

Briar rolls her eyes again. "So he has a late growth spurt, so what? He's just a late bloomer, there isn't anything wrong with that. Who knows, we might just get Longbottom-ed by him?"

"I disagree," Apple says, turning her nose and crossing her arms.

Briar sucks in a breath and presses her frown down. She tries to push the bubbling in her chest. She holds her tongue and makes up excuses in her head for Apple's sake. Briar thinks,  _maybe_  Apple's just bitter about Ashlynn prioritising Hunter.  _Maybe_ , it'll blow over.  _Maybe_ , it's not all that bad. Because they're best friends and cutting ties after being friends for about six years seemed utterly ridiculous.

* * *

**iv**

* * *

A part of Apple thinks she's only feeling these things because Briar and Ashlynn are her best friends. It's not even arguable to say that they're only 'close' friends because they are  _that_  much close. So, logically, these feelings are nothing but a friendship kind of love.

That is, until Apple started noticing someone she really shouldn't have – Raven Queen. All dark hair, dark clothes, dark  _lips_. Raven was on the other side of the hierarchy. Not exactly at the bottom but instead on uncharted territory. Very few tried to approach Raven for a few reasons. Mainly because of family history. Raven's mother had lost Raven to child services when she was a kid after Raven's father died. Though Raven's mother had picked herself back up and got Raven back, people still judged the Queen family.

"My mom forgot how to take care of herself then she forgot how to take care of me, that's why I was taken away." Raven had once said to Maddie. Apple just happened to hear it while walking with Blondie Lockes who was talking her ear off. "But it's not so bad now. It's gotten better,  _way_ better. I mean, my mom bought me an electric guitar and she's paying for my guitar lessons. I know it's not cheap so that just shows that we're doing okay, right?"

"Absolutely! You're doing great, Rae!" Maddie Hatter says, laugh infectious enough to flip Raven's slight sad frown upside-down.

Apple turns her head, contemplating on pulling away from Blondie and approaching Raven. She knows it's a messy place to step in. But as a good future leader, she should be concern about everyone in school –

Dexter Charming enters the scene and swoops Raven away with his adorkable charm and kind words of encouragement. He's not the first person to treat Raven kindly. But he is the first to  _show_  a romantic interest and it was easy to see how Raven could potentially return the feeling. Raven was practically falling in love with Dexter right in front of Apple's eyes!

Apple finds herself frowning. God, she's been so frustrated around Ashlynn and Briar that she can feel her anger manifest in other places. Apple knows she's only eavesdropping but … she thinks, maybe, just maybe if she had made a move sooner than Dexter then maybe Raven would have fallen in love with Apple instead –

Wait.

 _Wait_.

**WAIT!**

In love with her? Raven liking Apple? Or rather, Apple wanting Raven to like Apple.  _Romantically?_ **A girl.**

Apple's shocked face shows itself before Apple can even register she's making such an expression. She picks up her pace and attempts to exit the hall as soon as possible. Blondie follows close behind, very much confuzzled.

"Is something wrong?" Blondie asks.

"I … I don't know." Apple answers.

What is going on in her head?

* * *

Apple comes to the realisation that she … likes girls. Like  _like_. Romantically. All these raging emotions – for Ashlynn and Briar, against Hunter and Hopper – were all because Apple refused to believe her own emotions, her own feelings, that  _something_  in her chest.

It can't be! She can't be –

Apple holds back the tears. She can't let anyone know! She can't! Apple decided, she had to keep it bottled up! Word cannot spread! What would her mother think of her?

* * *

**v**

* * *

Apple decided that she couldn't keep these … 'recognised' crushes on Ashlynn and Briar. Apple hears her mother's nagging and drilling as she had an internal battle to remain at the top of the hierarchy.

Popularity – sometimes it's lovely, sometimes it's diabolical.

Apple would not stand for these _nonsense_  feelings. Acknowledging it would worsen everything and knock her down her position as the most popular girl at school and push her friends away. Apple was convinced. She was for sure of it. It was too risky having feelings for her best friends.

Apple knew what not to do yet she also didn't exactly know how to deal with these feelings. It wasn't easy. She had to make all these decisions and it took a lot of thought. A lot of back and forth mental arguments. A lot of fake smiles and fake happiness and just fake  _everything_. It consumed her, stretching over the Summer until Senior year came knocking on her doorstep, ready to sweep her over.

Apple was not ready but she tried her best. She made a plan. (1) Keep Daring Charming as a disguise boyfriend until she figures things out and (2) move her heart somewhere unfamiliar where a loss of interest was a hell of a lot safer than losing her best friends and a lot less damaging.

Apple opted to fall for a total stranger. That's always fun on TV – the unfamiliarity brought a playful game of chase and just enough secrecy to make things interesting. She picks Raven Queen. This, of course, was all her own little secret.

* * *

Of course, nothing goes as plans.

Apple didn't know where it began. But it ends with her heart crumbling in her hands yet again. A sudden notification from Raven's social media told Apple that Raven and Dexter were finally an item. In little over a year – three heartbreaks. Just how much more can Apple White take?

Apple decides many things to cover up her constant battered heart. She was going to put everything into her final year. She couldn't afford to taint everything's she's worked  **so**   **hard** on. Apple told herself she was going to maintain those straight As, she was going to get that scholarship and she was going to her first choice of university.

She knew it was eggshell steps all the way from now on. But it will be okay. Apple will  **pretend** to be okay. She'll fake it, use Daring, cover up her gayness so well that that Briar and Ashlynn will beg her to stop being so boy-crazy.

* * *

"It's just – Ugh!" Ashlynn yells. Properly yells. Shy, Ashlynn Ella, yelling. "No boy is ever good enough for you, Apple! You think you're being sneaky but you aren't!  **You aren't!**  You belittle Hopper because he's short! You belittle  _my_  Hunter for reasons unknown! Briar and I can't breathe around you! We can't all be dating perfect Daring Charming!"

"Wha – What?" Apple sputters. "Those boys – I **never**  said they had to be perfect like Daring!"

Briar stays quiet, silent between her friends for the first time in her life.

"But no boy meets your standards except Daring, am I right?" Ashlynn asks though there's no need for an answer. "I'm pretty sure even Dexter doesn't meet your standards and he's Daring's brother! You don't know anything about them, Apple! Most of the boys here are really sweet! It's unfair that you don't even give them a chance!"

"I give them chances!" Apple yells back. She can't believe she's raising her voice at one of her best friends. She's trying to keep Ashlynn and Briar in her corner, not drive them away!

"You were making fun of Humphrey just last week! Talking about his haircut and glasses and suspenders!" Ashlynn speaks the truth. "Did you forget he helped you fix your mirror pad after you dropped it between the bleaches in Junior year?! Did you?! Because I didn't and he  _didn't. even. help._ ** _me_**!"

Apple can only clench her fists and open-mouthedly glare speechless at Ashlynn in return.

Ashlynn stares hard at Apple and it honestly looked like she wanted to cry. Briar finally stands to interfere but Ashlynn shushes her, like the day she was too shy to speak to Hunter (Gunter).

"I'm very angry with you right now, Apple. Very angry." Ashlynn explains like an adult speaking to a child. "I'm walking away right now before I blow up at you any further. I'm going to Hunter's and I'm going to talk to him. I expect you to do the same with Briar. I expect you to talk sensibility to her about this since Briar knows both sides of our stories. Until you calm down, I'm not going to speak to you ever again."

Apple can only tremble and glare at the ground as Ashlynn steps away. But just before Ashlynn leaves, she flashes a sad look at Briar as an apology for putting her in the middle. Then she's gone.

…

After the fight, Apple avoids everyone she thinks is unimportant.

She avoids Daring. She avoids him like he's the plague himself which she knows hurts him like hell. He did tell her he was struggling with something at the moment but she … Apple was facing her  **own**  problems. She felt like she was in a hurricane – spinning and dizzy, not knowing which way was up and which way was down or when's the next time she'd get unstuck. Apple just knows that it's horrible.

Apple can't wrestle with the fact that being in a relationship is a two-player game. She's supposed to be his  _girlfriend_ and Daring's supposed to be her  _boyfriend_  but she just can't deal with him. Not right now. Not when he's dressed like a hobo and not looking like his usual shiny self.

…

Of course, Briar sees this. She notices it  **all**  until she can't take it anymore. Briar had said one cold Winter day. "You're a mess, Apple. You need to stop putting things off." And when Apple had refused, Briar declared that was the last straw. The **last**  damn straw.

"You're selfish, Apple!" Briar says. It strikes a certain fear in Apple as Briar, Apple's last best friend, is preparing to her. "You're so selfish!"

And that's the last thing Briar ever says to Apple as she leaves just like Ashlynn.

.

.

.

A long time ago, Briar had said "I'd never lie to you," and now she's saying how selfish Apple is. Apple guesses –  _well_ , this is the cold hard truth then.

* * *

**vi**

* * *

Apple White comes to a realisation a little too late in her Senior year and that is – that she is popular and  _nothing_  else.

She looks around and sees how, Raven Queen, the so-call rebel of the school, has more closely knitted friends than her. Apple flicks through the list of people she knows in her head. She thinks of how she's hanging out with different social cliques every week, how she doesn't stick to one group and how it feels like she's recycling acquaintances rather than making strong friendships.

Apple comes to her awareness of her lack of closeness to the other popular kids. With Briar and Ashlynn being true friends to each other but only putting up with Apple until they couldn't. With Daring who's lost in his own problems. With Blondie who only talking to Apple when she wants new scope for her blog.

Apple asks herself; does everyone really loves her? Or do they just accept her as the most popular girl in school?

* * *

Apple White thinks she's losing her touch – No, she  _knows_  she's losing her touch. She used to bounce around and sit with everyone.  _Well,_  everyone considered 'royalty' or the elite or the top of the top. The cheerleaders, the jocks, student committee members. But now she's just ... making her way around.

Her spot as the most popular girl is crumbling, her friendship with her best friends have fallen. Her life is pretty much falling apart but Apple refuses to let her grades fall. Not when her mother is still ferociously drilling her.

At the end of the day, the only thing that can get her out of here is her smarts and a scholarship from a university far, far away. Apple just needs to go through several more stepping stones before managing a branch of some sort from her family business, somewhere away from here.

High school is trying to pin Apple down but she won't let it. She  _won't._

"Hocus latte with nutmeg?" The barista calls.

Apple's fallen into her old habit. She gets up from the table she's stationed her things, the large table is occupied by one sole person, littered with her textbooks and notes. She wants to make it quick; grab the latte and head back to her table. But before she can take her drink back to her table, another hand grabs the same coffee cup.

Their hands touched.

"I believe  _this_  is  **mine**." Apple almost snaps and looks up at the other hand. But then the meanest in her voice dies. She stares at the girl before her – silverish blonde hair, powder blue eyes, a beauty mark under a right eye.  _Pretty_. She was pretty. "… Or … not,"

The girl brightens. "Do you like nutmeg lattes too?"

"Y – Yeah," Apple says and withdraws her hand. "Um, sorry about that."

"No, it's okay, you can take this if you want –"

"Hocus latte with nutmeg?" The barista calls again and places another cup.

"I – I guess I'll take this," Apple says.

The silver haired girl nods and Apple takes the new cup before it gets snatched away by somebody else. She scoots away from the counter in case she blocks anyone. The girl strangely mirror's Apple's movements.

"Um," Apple says, she was socially deprived. Apple knew she was. It's been so long since Apple's had one good conversation. She knows she has a small window of opportunity to talk to this girl before she disappears.

Though, lingering by the coffee pick-up station and barista would be awkward.

Apple speaks up, hand reaching out to signal the other girl not to go. "Um, sorry but can I ask you a question? It's just … you look familiar, I feel like I've seen you somewhere. What's your name?"

"Darling – " She says.

"Darling," Apple repeats, her name rolling off her tongue like honey.

"– Charming." Darling finishes her words.

Apple's heart sinks _. Charming?!_

Darling doesn't notice Apple's sudden panic and says, "Yeah, I think I've seen you around too? Are you in Miss Yaga's class?"

Apple bobs her head, ready to let Darling lead the conversation. She'll just pretend Darling has nothing to do with her still fake boyfriend.

Darling perks up. "Oh, then I'm taking Business with you. I started a little while ago. I'm supposed to be a year below but I'm taking advance classes."

"I – I see," Apple says. She notes how Darling isn't just beautiful but also smart. Apple's charmed.

"So are you sitting anywhere?" Darling asks, a friendly tone in her voice. "Or are you on the go?"

Apple almost losses her composure but quickly corrects herself. She tilts her head at the direction of her things. "I'm studying over there."

"Mind if I sit with you? The café's full." Darling asks and Apple pauses. "I'll be quiet and won't disturb your studying. I understand if you decline but –"

"No, no, it's fine. You can sit with me. I just …" Apple collects herself then starts from the beginning, "You can sit with me." Apple confirms.

"Thanks a bunch." Darling replies, blue eyes crinkled and grin stretched wide. Then Darling realises something. "Oh wait, I forgot to ask for your name. What is it?"

"Apple White."

Darling ohs in response. "That's a pretty name."

Apple can only blush in return.

"Well then, it's nice to meet you, Apple White." Darling stretches her palm, giving Apple an option to take her hand for a good handshake.

Apple does. "The pleasure's all mine."

…

It's official. Apple was no longer the center of attention. She may as well sink to the bottom of the ocean and drown. She had no close friends who would notice if she disappeared. She wouldn't even be surprised if someone glared at her for sneezing in class. Which is exactly what happened.

But instead of her usual  _a-ti-shoo_ sneeze, it's a loud _A-CHOO!_  Ugh, it wasn't even a cute sneeze! Apple sniffs and waits for the death glares, paranoid as she held her breath.

But none came. Instead, a soft voice says, "Bless you."

Snapping her head in a quick motion, Apple turns to the person. Her mouth drops in surprise, "Darling?"

"Hey, Apple." Darling greets.

"You're in my Economics class too?"

"I switched classes. Calculus was a little too easy for me."

"Oh … uh – hi then?" Apple replies almost lamely before snapping her head back to look at the board.

Half an hour passes too slowly for Apple's taste. Mostly with Apple's eyes flitting to look at Darling side-ways until Apple's constant fidgeting cause her pen to fly out of her grasp and onto the floor. Apple is instantly embarrassed when Darling notices and lets out a small snort.

"Oopsie, silly me." Apple says, pretending to play it off. She reaches down, trying to conceal her red face, reaching for the fallen pen …

… Only to touch something warm. Apple and Darling's hands touch again, like that fateful coffee meeting.

Apple pulls away quickly and fumbles with her words. "S – Sorry,"

Darling simply shakes her head. "It's okay."

"I'm  _so_ sorry,"

"Apple, it's okay. I don't mind.  _Really_." Darling says and hands Apple her pen back.

Apple takes it. At that moment, she feels some sort of connection between her and Darling.

…

She's not fooling anyone. Apple White was gay.  _Hella_  gay.

…

It's ... almost pathetic, really. Even the Physics Club and Math whizzes have friends and a place to sit. While Apple ...

Holding her packed lunch in hand – a healthy fruit salad and a thermos of hot tea – Apple approaches the one person she decided she could place her trust in.

"Hi, Darling." Apple says, grinning wide at the girl.

Darling looks up from her own packed lunch, PBJ with the crusts cut off and a juice box and some sliced apples in a small container. Apple notices this. It was clear to the blonde that Darling's a little babied.

"Oh hey," Darling replies, a hand covering her mouth that's still chewing.

"Mind if I sit with you?" Apple asks.

She eyes Raven talking with Maddie and the Wonderland kids. So is this the new crowd Apple has to put up with? Wait – that came out meaner that Apple intended. She needed to lower her standards now that her popularity was plummeting.

"Sure," Darling says, not even looking over at the others at the table for approval.

Apple moves to sit between Darling and Raven but Darling stops her with a gentle hand signal that told Apple to 'stop'.

"Sorry, my brother's sitting there." Darling says.

"Daring?" Apple asks, her voice dipped with a heavy weight. Horror struck her. Or maybe it was fear? They haven't exactly been avoiding each other per say but ... they have drifted apart.

Darling shakes her head, letting her almost-silver curls tumble down her shoulders. "Dexter."

"Oh," Apple answers, relieved. "Your ... twin?"

To be honest, Apple never gave much attention to Dexter. He hung out with IT nerds like Humphrey ... Humpty? Whatever his name was. Apple stops herself from thinking about Humphrey too much before the thought of him can remind her of Ashlynn.

"Yeah," Darling answers back.

Apple only hums in reply and sits across Darling, glad she would be able to at least talk to the girl instead of forcing conversation with Raven and the others.

Apple's only three bites in her salad before she has the urge to ask.

"Hey, Darling, is it okay if I eat with you every day?" Apple asks, trying to sound as non-pathetic as she can. "My friends ... Ashlynn has gone lovey-dovey mode and prioritised her boyfriend and Briar's busy with her cousin and Blondie ..." Was Blondie even her friend? Blondie only hung out with them if she wanted gossip for her blog. "Blondie won't even look up from her phone."

"I don't know who those people are but that sounds rough. I'm sorry that your friends are a little shitty – excuse my language." Darling says, sympathetic. "But sure, yeah, I don't mind."

"Thanks." Apple says, she felt like she was mirroring Darling's words the day they met. Apple was glad she had given Darling the green light to sit with her at Hocus Café. This  _must_  be karma for her good deed. It was the only explanation.

…

Apple is somewhat glad that nothing ever bloomed between her and Raven Queen because Apple learns something once she joins Darling and her friends. And that is, she butts head with Raven – a lot.  _Too much,_  actually. They squabble over everything – clothes, music, opinions in general.

Apple can't believe she had a cru – had … was in feelings with Raven. Not anymore though. Not, ever. Raven was just … an awakening of some sort.. But Darling …

The blonde girl turns her face side-ways to the said girl at her  **new** usual lunch table.

Darling lets out a laugh as she picks up a fry off Alistair's tray and aims it at Dexter.

"Hey!" Dexter yells then takes a sliced tomato from Bunny's  _Tupperware_ and throws it in return.

Another laugh rings out. Darling grabs something from Raven this time, she raises it, about to throw when she catches Apple staring at her.

Oh – Darling caught her!

Darling's face lit up, the glow of her cheeks brought some attention to the beauty mark under her right eye. Darling asks cheekily, "What?"

"N – Nothing," Apple mutters. "I … I was just worried you'd start a food fight. I don't want stains on my clothes."

Darling lowers the food in her hand. "Of course not."

They both exchange a smile. A familiar kick ebbs in Apple's gut and flutters in her chest. Apple feels  _something._

But the moment lasts only until Dexter lets out a sigh of relief, "Oh, thank God!"

* * *

"Good morning, Darling."

Darling stops, mid-read, and scoots over for the pale blonde to sit. "Apple, hey."

"What are you reading?"

"Oh, it's –"

"There you two are!" Someone interrupts.

Apple frowns, and looks away, it's Dexter … and the four others behind them.

She notices something, the others are always trailing behind Darling. It seemed like wherever Darling went, her twin Dexter followed. And where there was Dexter, Raven was around which meant Maddie was close behind too. And of course, the group isn't complete unless Alistair and Bunny are there too.

Honestly, can't she have any time alone with Darling?

* * *

"Darling," Apple voices.

They sat closely on Apple's bed. The White Manor is quiet and they had just had their first kiss –  _no_ , second kiss. Their first kiss was at that party in front of everyone when Apple had choked at the sight of Briar and Ashlynn and Daring being there.

But Apple guesses this is their official first kiss.

Well, it's not Apple's first kiss. She's kissed Daring plenty.  _Only_  Daring. Maybe it's not even Darling's first either. Apple doesn't know. But she did know it felt  _right_. None like the ones Apple had with her boyfriend where it felt more like a chore than anything else.

Apple has to ask. She tugs on a blue highlight in Darling's hair as Darling holds the blonde's face close. Apple questions, "How did you know that you were – How did you know you liked girls?"

Darling lets out a laugh, it sounds like soft tinkering bells in Apple's ears. Darling says, "You learn a thing or two when you're stuck in all girls' school. Plus, I've always been a firm believer that a person should be themselves. If I think it's right then it is."

What Apple gest from this is: basically, be true to yourself. (i.e. never fake it)

* * *

Apple brings Darling over to her house many times. She uses the excuse that the White Manor is quiet without her parents and that no one would disturb their studying session, but it always ends up with them making out and Darling telling Apple everything about her life. Apple cherishes these moments the most.

* * *

"Apple!"

Someone calls as Apple pauses her night routine. She lowers the volume of her music and stops mid-nail paint. Who on earth is shouting her name at nine PM on a Wednesday?

"Apple, look out your window!" The voice yells again.

Pausing her music, Apple listens again.

"Apple White, are you asleep?!"

That voice ... Darling?

Apple rushes to her window and opens it, letting cool night air hit her in the face as peaks her head out the window in all of her glory; her pale blonde hair in pink rollers and her face covered in a goopy aloe vera mask. She sees Darling seated on her motorbike in front of her house. The others are there too, waiting on their motorcycles, engines running. Raven has her arms around Dexter's middle, the same goes for Bunny and Alistair. Maddie's bike is painted in crazy bright colours.

Apple blushes at the realisation that these small group of misfits are seeing her in her idlest form. Her face turns five different shades of red behind her face mask. She really should have checked her reflection before sticking her head out the window. She didn't expect company.

"D – Darling, what's this?!" Apple hollers at Darling, not sure if she sound be pleasantly surprised or embarrassed.

"We're going out on an adventure!" Darling hollers back and ignites her engine for how. The others whoop in response.

Apple looks sideways into her room as if expecting her mother to come barging in when Apple was well aware that her parents are ninety percent not at home most of the time. She asks, feeling a little intrigued, "Where are we going?!"

"Out!"

"Out where?!" Apple asks.

Gosh, if she goes, her nails won't have time to dry and it'll be ruined.

Then something hits her – it's realisation. Apple blushes then asks again, "Wait, are you asking me out?!"

"Well, only one way to find out!" Darling shouts, grinning. Her eyes glim like the buttons on her leather jacket. It's true what they say, that Darling Charming sure is a rambunctious one.

Apple bites her lower lip. Is ten – no, fifteen minutes enough time to wash the face mask off her face and quickly put on make-up? "Could you give me a moment?!"

"Is that a 'yes'?!" Darling questions and the other leans in eagerly.

Apple could feel her face warm up again. She almost wants to hide and back-peddle into her room. God, where is this shyness coming from? Apple scolds herself because she knows for a fact that she herself – Apple White – is  **not**  shy. She ran for president of the student committee and organised for the yearbook committee without so much as batting an eye. Years ago, she went up to Daring Charming, the most popular boy in school, and asked him out. She did it. Her. Not him.  _Her_. What's one simple 'yes' doing messing her confidence up?

"Y – Yes!" Apple fumbles and almost trips over that one word.

Darling lets out a laugh and pumps her fist in the air. "Then that's a 'yes' too! Now go get dressed!"

.

.

.

"You nervous?" Dexter asks as he leans against his bike.

Apple lifts a shoulder, "... Yeah,"

The night is cold. Four motorbikes are parked outside a house. Maddie's on watch, giggling like a mad man. Dexter's the signalman or something. And Apple has Darling's leather jacket draped around her shoulders as she shivers.

Apple turns to Dexter. His deep blue eyes are downcast, busy concentrating on cleaning his glasses. He doesn't look the least bit worried.

"Don't be." He tells her. "I used to be like you, all nervous and jumpy but after a while, I just got used to it. Nothing ever happens. We won't get caught, trust me."

Apple stares at Dexter in return as he plops his glasses back on his face and adjusts it. She never imagined Dexter Charming would be as cool as a cucumber in these sorts of situation. She's so used to him being ... awkward and introverted that she never thought he'd be doing stuff like breaking the rules.

"Why are we doing this again?" Apple asks.

"Because it's fun." Dexter says. Then he smiles cheekily. Apple can see some parts of Darling in him. "Also because Principal Grimm is a dickhead – excuse my language – and it's technically okay to raid his house when he's out doing old man things or whatever."

"And … you've done this how many times?"

Dexter thinks for a moment. He crosses his arms and chews the inside of his cheek. "… Seven times?"

Apple is not convinced. She questions him, almost drilling Dexter like how her mother drills her. "And you've never been caught once?"

"Never," He answers.

She needs to ask again, "Are you sure –"

"Run!"

"Oh shit!" Dexter curses and almost falls over as he scrambles to get on his vehicle. They need to escape!

"RUN!" The voice yells again.

"W – What's happening?" Apple blinks.

"Maddie!" Dexter yells to the girl several feet away from them. "MADDIE, we need to go!"

"Oh jeepers, Dex!" Maddie screams and rushes to her colourful bike, jumps on it and turns the key. The engine roars to life.

Apple whips her head around in confusion as Raven rushes over and practically yells in Dexter's ear to 'Go, go, GO!' Not even a second later, Apple sees the others running too.

"He was in the house the whole time!" Alistair shouts and books it, a strong hand pulling small Bunny behind him. They get on their bikes too and do an impressive clean-cut U-turn.

"D – Darling?" Apple panics. Oh no.  _Oh no!_  What would the school think of her if they get caught and word gets out? Her reputation will only plunge harder!

"What are you doing standing around! Run, girl, run!" Darling says as she goes full sprint.

She grabs Apple's hand in one swift movement and tugs her along. If they weren't in such a rush, Apple might have had the time to blush. But instead, they do as everyone else, hop on their bikes and zoom away into the night before Principal Grimm catches them.

Once they're on the road again with their hearts beating fast against their chests and the wind chilling their already cold bodies, someone lets out a loud thrilled laugh.

Darling hollers, "That was a rush!"

Apple only holds onto Darling tighter, burying her face in the other girl's neck. How was it possible that something that maddening could feel so scary yet so exhilarating at the same time?

"Let's do it again!" Alistair yells, deep voice flitting into the night.

"Same time next week?" Raven asks.

"Yeah!" Maddie shouts, adding her own fits of giggles.

Apple whimpers. This is the kind of kids she'll be hanging out with from now on; cruising with the stars and the moon on their tricked out motorbikes, burning the midnight oil. Apple's certain all of their troublemaking will keep her awake after all the adrenaline has worn off and after it hits her that there are consequences of tonight.

Apple now understands why Darling has named her biker gang this –  _the sleepless elite._

(sleepless, indeed)

* * *

"I heard what you and the Wonderland kids did to Principal Grimm's house." Briar says to Apple. It's the first conversation they've had since the big fight months ago. "The only reason you didn't get in trouble was because no one snitched. But Raven, Maddie and the others got caught because they apparently said each other's names while fleeing the scene."

Apple frowns, she can't believe she's having this talk between two vending machines like the conversation has to be one big hush-hush secret, like Briar can't be seen with Apple. The blonde girl asks, "So what?"

Briar's expression immediately turns sour. "So what?" Briar repeats, angry. She can't believe her ears. "You could have gotten in trouble! Expelled! I thought you wanted to get that scholarship!"

"Why do you care what I do with my life?" Apple asks. "You're the one who didn't want to be friends with me anymore."

"That –" Briar grits her teeth. "That doesn't mean I want you to hang out with people like Raven. She's bad news."

"You don't know that," Apple should have said these words with confidence, but instead, she ends up mumbles at her shoes.

But Briar picks up the weight in Apple's words. The brunette asks, "Do you even like Raven?"

And Apple knows she can't hide it.

Briar asks again, "Do you?"

"… No," Apple answers. "We butt-heads all the time."

"Then don't hang out with her." Briar advises.

"Who else am I supposed to hang out with then?" Apple asks, a suddenly bite in her voice. She sniffs, "You?"

Briar almost shrinks from this. The words that come out of Briar's mouth is not something Apple expects. Briar says, "You were my best friend, Apple."

Suddenly, Apple feels her throat tighten. Apple says, "And you were mine."

Something kicks her in the gut. Apple wants to confess. She wants to add something else to their conversation.

"You and Ashlynn were my best friends, Briar." Apple says. "And more,"

Briar's moist eyes blink back in confession. "What do you mean?"

If she could have an option, Apple thinks she would like to pause this moment to vomit because she feels queasy. So incredibly queasy.

Apple says, "I liked you. I liked both you and Ash … romantically. I've been keeping it a secret for a year or so after I realise I was lying to myself and faking everything. I didn't understand why I had all these feelings on … girls – _two_  girls – until it was too late and I didn't know if you'd accept me for it."

"What about Daring?"

Apple only shakes her head.

"Oh, Apple." Briar coos, it's a tiny sound.

But Apple doesn't give Briar the time to feel sorry for her. No. Apple instead blurts out words she didn't know she had in mind until she said it, "I'm going to prom with Darling,"

"Charming?" Briar asks, eyes wide.

Apple nods, she didn't realise she had bunched her hands up so tightly until she felt her fingernails digging into her palms.

"As in your ex's little sister?" Briar asks again.

Another nod, though this time, it's a little hesitant.

"Daring's going with your cousin, right?" Pale hands twist together uncertainly as she speaks.

"… Yes," Briar replies, her own hands finding it's way to tug on a pink strand of hair. "He's going with Rosabella,"

"That's … a little weird."

Briar laughs. "Yeah, your ex with my cousin, it seems like we can't escape each other."

A sad smile forms on Apple's face. "Can I hug you? I really miss you."

"What a silly question. Of course, you can."

They hug it out.

"Are you running for prom queen like you said you wanted to?" Briar asks into the crook of Apple's neck.

"Yeah," Apple answers, holding her best friend tighter. "Will you help me run my campaign?"

Briar pulls away from their embrace. She opens her mouth, looking guilty, before closing it and looking at the ground. "I'm sorry, Apple. I'm already helping Daring. Rosabella thinks it'll help him get back to his feet."

Oh.

_Oh._

Apple's forgotten how things can't be fixed just like that. She says, "I understand."

She didn't. Not really.

* * *

"And the prom queen is …"

Principal Grimm pauses for effect as he hovers over the microphone. A disco ball is sparkling above the student body, the dancing music is paused, students and teachers alike are gathered in their formal wear.

Apple holds her breath. They've already announced Daring as prom king. It's no surprise, it was a good comeback after Daring spent several months being down. If Daring can snap back into shape then so can Apple. Months ago, she and Daring were high in that hierarchy. They were always paired together so it was likely that they would get paired up as prom king and queen. It's gotta happen. It's –

.

.

.

"That brings back memories." Snow White says almost dreamily as she leans against her daughter's bedroom door frame. The older woman looks at the prom queen posters Apple was working on. The blonde was up to her elbows in bright markers. Snows asks Apple, "I was crowned prom queen when I was in EA High. You'll do the same, right?"

"Hopefully …" Apple mutters. If someone asked her this months ago, she would have pridefully boast that she would. But now with her declining popularity and her realisation of liking Darli –

Apple could feel her mother frown at her. "What happened to your confidence?"

"Nothing," Apple lies. "I still got it. I'm just tired, Mom."

"Then why don't you call Briar and Ashlynn to come over and ask them to help you?" Snow questions. Apple knows her mother will start drilling her for more answers in a minute or so.

"I can't. They're already helping someone else." Apple says. "But that doesn't matter. I can do this  _myself_."

Snow steps closer into Apple's room. The older woman asks a question that almost makes Apple choke on her own spit. Snow says, "That girl with the silver hair and blue streaks, what's her name?"

"D – Darling," Apple shutters and almost dies on the inside. If her mother catches on –

"Tell me her full name,  _Apple_." Snow says in a hard voice.

Apple knows damn well her mother's only adding her name to the end of her sentence to be more authoritative. It's a cruel power move. Apple answers, "Darling Charming,"

"What's your relation with her?" Snow White asks, squinting at her own daughter.

If it was possible for Apple to get any paler, she would. Apple tries to sound as convincing as she can. She needs to fake it. She needs to pretend she was still on top of the games. Apple replies, "She's just a friend, Mom."

" _Apple_ ,"

"… Yes?"

"Don't lie to me."

Apple looks up from her markers and handmade prom posters. She replies, "I'm not."

"Let's hope not." Snow warns.

"I – I'll prove it." Apple tells her mother, not knowing where these lies were coming from. "Daring and I – "

"Your boyfriend since Freshman year?"

"– Yes, we –" Apple opens her mouth, it's wobbly in the dangerous scared trembling way. "We'll be crowned as prom king and queen. You won't need to worry. Everyone in school loves us. They'll vote for us, there's no doubt about it."

Snow only responses with a faint nod. "Remember, Apple, you need to have good people skills when you run the family business in the future. No one likes bad leader. Or worse, an unreliable fake leader."

.

.

.

"… Rosabella Beauty!"

A majority of the kids in the room cheer, hollering on the top of their lungs. Clapping loud, pumping their fists, picking up their friends for exaggeration.

"Hmm," Darling speaks through the loud cheering. "I really thought you'd win, Apple, but I guess prom queen isn't everything."

No answer.

Darling turns. "Apple?" She catches her girlfriend running out of the gym before the doors fly open.

…

Apple runs and Darling follows after her girlfriend. Though, Apple wished Darling didn't. More than anything, she wished Darling didn't.

…

Apple doesn't know how it happened. One minute, she was in Darling's arms, crying about losing her spot as prom queen. Then the next, she and Darling were fighting. Apple doesn't remember what she said. Honestly, she was so emotionally exhausted to the point that everything was a blur. But she must have said something hurtful, something that struck Darling to the core. Something along the lines of "This would never have happened if I was still with Daring,"

"Is that all you care about?" Darling had asked, her sparkly dress glistens with her wet eyes.

Apple grips the bottom of her dress, silky fabric easily tearable. She answers, "No."

When they both knew that the correct answer was 'yes'. 'Yes' like that night they had first officially gone out.

"Why can't you just be happy with me?" Darling asks, her lower lip trembles. It's the kind action that reminds Apple that they're both vulnerable girls. Darling takes a step forward, sparkly silver converses peak underneath her dress. She asks the blonde, "Are you really so obsessed with popularity that you're ready to dump me with the drop of a hat?"

Apple doesn't reply, instead, her blue-grey eyes go wide. Her leaky mascara gets into her vision. A mirror. She  _needs_  a mirror. Apple White can't afford to be caught a mess. She takes a step back, back-peddling, high heels wobbly.

"Oh, I see." Is all Darling answers and turns away.

Apple can't bring herself to reach out. She just clutches onto her pale arms and waits for something to happen. What's a princess to do when her knight in shining armour runs away from her?

"And for the record," Darling sniffs, she doesn't even cover the fact that she was openly crying. "You broke up with me.  _You_  did this to  _us_."

Apple didn't think it was possible to feel her heart break so many times at age eighteen.

…

 _Honestly_ , Apple thinks as she beats herself up about it.  _What was I thinking dating a girl? What was I thinking; dating Darling? It was bound to fail anyways, I'm no good. I should have count myself as lucky when I was with Daring._

Apple pauses and thinks of Rosabella. Rosabella who is kind and gentle. Rosabella who has a big heart, big enough to love all the people she cared about and more.

 _But he's already moved on._ Apple adds to her thoughts.

She finds her heels taking her to the bleachers on the field but Apple stops before she can make it across the yard. She's been wandering around for ages. From the other side, Apple spots Daring and Rosabella sharing emphatic looks and rubbing the back of a crouching figure.

A dread feeling pools in her stomach before spreading. She feels awful. Tonight was supposed to be Daring and Rosabella's night, their night as prom king and queen, and here they are, comforting a crying Darling. Apple never intended to land in this situation. She never wanted to see an ex comfort another ex.

Once upon a time, she cared about them – Daring and Darling – so much that they were her world but now ... now they were just strangers.

She flees before they see her.

* * *

**vii**

* * *

Darling confronts Apple one day, the day Apple has received news on her scholarship. Apple's not going. She messed up, her parents caught wind of her rendezvous with Darling and they were livid that Apple was with a girl.

But it doesn't matter because they're sending her off and soon she'll forget all about this place. Who needs short-lived friendships? Who needs high school sweethearts? Who needs to be prom queen?

"Darling," Apple says because she doesn't know what else to say. She snaps her small hand mirror close. She had previously been staring at her blue-grey eyes. All her life, she's always thought they were just blue. But now she realises she can be two colours; blue and grey.

(You're not just one thing, you're two things – sad blue and depressing grey)

The confrontation is not a big surprise. Not really. It's not as sudden as Apple breaking Darling's heart.

"Apple White, you're the most selfish girl I've ever met!" Darling says. Though, these words don't strike the same fear in Apple as it should when Briar had said it.

No. Because Apple is used to it. She's come to terms that she is selfish. So  **very** selfish.

"I know," She says, barely a whisper. Apple repeats herself, "I know."

"I wished I never met you." Darling mutters, leaky eyes all over again, and Apple can tell that Darling means it.

Apple holds her head high. She's lost her popularity, her friends, her love interests. Her grades are nothing now that high school in over. The only thing Apple has left is her dignity.

Apple says, "I'm sorry. I really am. But I guess I don't deserve your forgiveness, huh?"

After all – after all … who needs forgiveness from the girl she's still in love with when she's going to a college that's halfway across the world?

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone said my stories were gay (as an insult but we all know 'gay' is a wonderful thing) but I thought "pfftt, not gay enough" so yeah, whoopsies, accidentally wrote 13K! I kept re-writing this and ended up with a third separate Microsoft document before I was satisfied. Am I quoting too much Bastille? Lol, of course not! What a silly question!
> 
> Seven sections of Apple's life to represent the seven dwarfs? Also, the whole mirror thing is symbolism. Gonna put that out there before I forget myself. Basically, Apple keeps herself in check, literally, by always gazing at her reflection as if her mother herself was watching over her. Apple checked herself a lot around Ashlynn and Briar, reminding herself of the scholarship and her place as future leader but over time she stopped caring and stopped looking at mirrors and just decided "Fuck it, gay all the way!"
> 
> Also, it's my time to shine. Time for me to be a true hoe about girl crushes from Apple's point of views. Smart party girls, brave ladies, cool rebels. I've liked them ALL! And nothing will stop me from telling you how pretty girls are! NOTHING, I TELL YOU! TAKE MY GAY GARBAGE! SPREAD THE WORD: GIRLS ARE BEAUTIFUL!
> 
> – 12 February 2018


	3. part three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes 1: The majority of part three takes place in the middle or after **the sleepless elite** which is a ChaseDarling side-story to this fic.
> 
> Notes 2:
> 
> Jezmaiya: So, when's part three coming out?
> 
> Me: (looking at my 99 cent dreams folders that I haven't touched in a year) Oh, wowie, I don't even have a draft document. Part three legit does not even exist and I don't remember what the hell I said because it was ages ago, I just know that I over-hyped it. Guess I won't write it.
> 
> Jezmaiya: You wrote part three on my phone when we went shopping in Bicester Village.
> 
> Me: Fuck! Do I have to?
> 
> Jezmaiya: ...
> 
> Jezmaiya: Charling. Commit.
> 
> Me: Okay, fine.
> 
> Notes 3: The high degree of math in this fic confused me and, as the author, I'm choosing to ignore it. Just know this all happens in the course of a little under a decade since Senior year of high school.

**99 cent dreams**

* * *

**part three: Briar Beauty**

* * *

Close these green eyes and watch over as I sleep, through my darkest of dreams,  
Oh, set me free from my jealousy, won't you exorcise my mind?  
I want to be free as I'll ever be

–  **Bastille** ,  _Send them off!_

* * *

 

* * *

From afar, Briar Beauty spots Hopper Croakington the second among the sea of college students. He has a pretty girl by his side, Ginger Breadhouse, who is as sweet as her name; with lovely tan skin, dyed baby pink hair and DIY accessorized glasses.

Briar's not jealous. She's never been the type to be, she likes to think she's more mature among her peers, growing up as the oldest of nine siblings taught her to be.

Besides, Briar is the one who had broke things off. She had decided to give Hopper a chance after he worked up the courage to write her a heartfelt sonnet; their short romance happened after Apple White had distanced herself in Senior year. Whatever there was between Briar and Hopper was nice, but not much spark. And then just like every other cliché teenager couple, their relationship ended once Summer came to a close. It was completely mutual. And Briar is glad that Hopper's found someone else.

This is a change, it's for the best.

A part of Briar, the deep-down-to-her-toes part, wants to leave her past all behind. Is it strange that her ideal situation is to never look back at her high school days? Become a better person of some sort. Grow as a person. Sure, she wasn't anything bad. Briar wasn't too much of a wild child, she wasn't a troublemaker or, God forbid, a terrible bully. She just had the tendency to fall asleep in class from time to time, all the partying, but Briar honestly thought she was a sharp torn.

However, sometimes –  _sometimes_ – the thing Briar hates the most about herself is that she is  _too soft to say anything_ , simply going along with the ride. She knows she'll likely do it again, fall back into that oh-so familiar step, that's just how life works. But,  _hey_ , a girl can dream, can't she?

Because, here she is, at  _Business school_ , doing the exactly that. Because,  _duh_ , of course, she'd end up sharing a dorm with Cedar Wood and Cerise Hood; people who had also gone to Ever After High, people she really didn't know.

"Hey, can you pass the salt?" Cerisa asks Briar, making a grabby hand motion.

Wordlessly, Briar extends her hand across the table. The mess hall is full of other college students, and Briar hopes nobody tries to talk with their mouths full. Or in general.

"Briar," Cedar calls, her nasally voice hangs in the air. "I'm sorry if this seems out of nowhere, but I cannot tell a lie, I am curious and I  _must_  know. Can I ask you a question?"

Briar swallows and catches Cerise staring back at her, she's stopped chewing on her meal, interested in the conversation. Ah,  _just her luck_.

Briar looks at the two girls in the eyes. "Um, sure, shoot. What do you want to know?" Briar asks. She's so soft and she feels like she's dug herself a grave.

"It's about what happened to the Royals." Cedar says, trying to sound anything but nosy.

"The  _what_?" Briar blinks back.

"The popular kids back when we were in Ever After High." Cerise answers for Cedar.

Briar immediately feels her appetite vanish. Is that what they called the popular kids? How narcissistic. Briar presses her lips together, "So, you're asking about …"  _The fall of Apple White._

"I'm curious about the sudden change between you, Apple and Ashlynn." Cedar says, her eyes sparkling.

Briar doesn't really blame Cedar or Cerise for their curiosity. They wouldn't know much about what happened to Apple. After all, all three of them were from completely different worlds.

Back when they were still students of Ever After High, Cerise was considered a major athlete, being well-known as the  _only girl_  on the football team while having the title of the fastest runner on the track-and-field team. Weirdly enough, no one knew much about Cerise despite her having good alias with the jocks, she was almost secretive.

Cedar, on the other hand, didn't hold any 'official titles', but she was well-liked by the student body and everyone knew Cedar for one thing – she hasn't told a lie since  _the incident._  It kind of became an 'inside joke' to have this one line when arguing, 'Why don't you believe me? I bet Cedar would!' 'No, she wouldn't! Cedar Wood hasn't lied since the fourth grade!'

Cedar continues talking, "I remember you three being on top of the high school hierarchy  _for years_. It seemed like you guys had it all figured out. You had the grades, the talent, the look. But then, one day, I noticed a change ..." Cedar starts trailing off, her eyebrows plucking together. "You, Apple and Ashlynn, the holy trinity, just split up. Everyone started hanging out with different groups without a word. Like a silent agreement. I remember the student body murmuring about it but nobody knew why."

"Even Daring suddenly became quiet." Cerise adds, lowering her fork and knife. "I wondered about that too. I heard some speculation about what  _could_ have happened but the theories were all far fetched and unreliable."

"Daring?" Cedar asks. It seemed like she was only occupied with gossip of the popular girls back then.

"Yeah." Cerise nods, following up on the story. "I think it happened the same time in Senior year? Daring was really bummed out. I remember how the football team tried to cheer him up. We threw a party for him." Cerise then turns her head. "Um, Briar, I think the team asked you to host it, right?"

"Uh, yeah, I think I remember." Briar answers, though she isn't entirely sure.

"That being said, you know it was a great party since Briar was behind it. The night was supposed to be fun and carefree but Daring just ended up getting drunk. And I mean,  _majorly pissed drunk_." Cerise emphasises. And something in Briar wasn't sure if she wanted to listen, even if Cerise's response would momentarily take the attention away from her. "He went missing for a bit that same night. Obviously, the team got worried. Can you imagine the star of the party just disappearing?"

Cedar finds herself leaning forward at Cerise's storytelling and so does Briar.

Briar may have hosted the party but she doesn't remember this part. She's hosted a lot of parties. And  _many eventful things_  happens when she holds these sort of parties. One of which Darling gave Apple mouth-to-mouth. Now Briar wonders if this was the faithful party where her cousin Rosabella had roped Daring to hang out with them afterwards.

"Was he okay? Was he hurt? Did he fall and knock himself out?" Cedar asks, concern laced in her voice.

"You're thinking too deeply into this, Cedar, Daring was okay. We found him later, curled up and passed out in the coat room. But …" Cerise bit her lower lip. Hurt flashed in her eyes. "It was really sad. Even when he was surrounded by his friends, all he wanted was to be alone."

"Oh." Cedar's hand found itself on her chest.

A feeling strikes Briar in the chest. She felt … responsible.

"Yeah, the party was a flop." Cerise's shoulders sags. Then she sharply turns to Briar again, apologetic, "No offence."

"None taken." Briar manages a weak smile.

"I'm just saying it wasn't successful because it didn't work. We didn't manage to cheer Daring up and he drifted away from us after that." Cerisa says but then explains in a defensive tone like she doesn't want to bad mouth Daring. "I'm not saying Daring dropped his responsibilities as a member of the football team, he still carried us to nationals, but, I'm just trying to say … what I mean is … I wished he let us help him. It felt like he had _all this weight_  on his shoulders yet he refused to ..." Cerise makes a few strangled noises, unable to finish her words, then sighs and gestures back to Briar. "Anyway, sorry for getting sidetracked. What were you saying before, Briar?"

_I wasn't saying anything._ Briar thinks to herself. "Erm, what was your question again, Cedar?"

"What happened to you, Apple and Ashlynn."

Oh,  _right_. "Well, we, uh – You see, our dynamic …" Briar mumbles. She is all over the place. She feels like she's held against her will. But Cerise told her part of the story so Briar feels obligated to say something too. "It – It just happened."

"What did? What happened? When?" Cedar asks.

"It was ... It was nothing  _big_. It was a fight.  _Just a stupid fight._  And –" God, lying did not come naturally to Briar. She's getting cold feet but she's usually so bold. "It's ... It's not my place to say but  _stuff_  happened. Nobody started it. It built up over time and overflowed. We didn't – We didn't know how to handle it. We tried to fix it. Reconcile but then prom –"

It felt like a big loop, coming back to Daring. But, then again, now that she was thinking about it, Briar felt like it looped back to her as well. She felt like  _she_ started everything with  _her_  parties. If it wasn't for Briar, Apple and Darling wouldn't have had that freak accident involving mouth-to-mouth. If it wasn't for Briar, Daring wouldn't have gotten black-out drunk and had the entire football team's eyes on him in the coat room.

"Hey, guys." Speak of the devil himself.

"Hey, Daring." Cerise plays it cool, giving the blonde a friendly punch on the shoulder.

Daring Charming seats himself next to Briar, coming to the rescue like a knight in shining armour. He settles his tray on the table, the noise is more than necessarily loud.

Here's  _another thing_  about Briar not being able to leave high school all behind, she occasionally hangs out with  _the_ Daring Charming. Perfect blonde hair, shiny teeth and proud boasting laugh Daring Charming. Someone she didn't think she'd ever willingly spend time with. Especially after coming to terms in Freshman year that Daring had an enormous ego to stroke.

She's still trying to wrap her head around it. That Daring's more than just that. Briar's seen it, a hopelessly-in-love-with-Rosabella, dorky-finger-gunning-around-his-siblings version of him. Things have really dwindled down after the whole Darling-Apple fiasco. As much as Briar won't admit it out loud, Daring is  _the closest person_  she can turn to in terms of understanding their past drama.

"Sorry I'm late. I was finishing up a call with the twins. It's hard to find the time for all three of us to just sit and talk." Daring says casually and bites into his meal. "So what are you talking about?"

"Uh," Cedar shifts her eyes because she can't lie.

"Gossip." Cerise says.

"Oh, nice." Daring perks up like he's interested and wants to listen.

"You wouldn't be interested though." Cerise deflects.

"Oh?" Daring hums. He sounds all too aware. His blue eyes look over at Briar, who, like Cedar avoids his gaze. She stares at her food without a word.

"It's girl gossip. Just casual girl stuff." Cerise continues then stuffs her face. She can't speak or stretch the truth if her mouth is full, right? Also, she can't really tell Daring that she and the girls have been talking _about him,_ right?

"Well, if you say so." Daring shrugs. It feels like the current conversation is over until Daring speaks up. "Hey, Briar, do you want to go to the library later and study together? I feel like I'm falling behind."

Already? It's only been a month at college.

Briar blinks, uncertain. But then she thinks, this option is better than staying in her room where Cedar and Cerise can grill her for more answers from her past. "Uh, sure, Dare."

"Great." Daring replies and smiles.

* * *

It's both a surprise and not a surprise that Briar and Daring would _willingly_ start hanging out together. In the past, Rosabella was the one that pushed their small group to spend time together, but now ... A bond has been formed (and it didn't seem to be fading). All those hours spent studying Business together.

(Something about hearing Cerise's story just pushed Briar towards Daring more. She knew Daring went through a lot but she didn't think it was _that bad_ )

"Hey, Daring?" Briar calls, tapping her pen against her notes. She hasn't been concentrating on her essay for the past forty-five minutes. Her mind's all distracted and watching  _Nailed It_ on  _Netflix_ seems tempting right about now.

"Yeah?" Daring calls back.

They're both just hanging out in Briar's dorm room. Snacks are opened and a clay mask sits drying on Daring's face. Okay, on both their faces. It happens, friendship and junk. It's fun, okay?

"I'm going to video call Rosabella in a bit, want to join in?" Briar asks.

On a usual occasion, Daring would drop everything and let out a flustered 'yes' but today, Daring's got other plans to fulfil. The blonde boy shakes his head, "Nah. I told the twins I'd video call them."

"The twins?"

"Yeah. Dexter and Darling."

Briar pulls a face, she still remembers the mess those two dragged Apple in – she believes breaking and entering into Principal Grimm's house. Not wanting Daring to catch on to her hesitant pause, Briar asks, "With that face?"

"Hey, they've seen me in worse shape in when I played football, all muddy and sweaty from exercise and the sun." Daring answers. " _This_  is nothing,"

"If you say so. Just wanted your reunion to be a little more magical," Briar shrugs.

And then they each started their own private video calls. Briar hears Daring share a few laughs with Dexter and Darling, and even listens to bits of his conversation until Daring puts down his call. Briar thinks it's time strike.

"Say bye to your boyfriend, Rosabella!" Briar teases as she turns her laptop to face Daring who's ten feet away with a face caked with clay and blonde hair pulled back with a headband.

In return, Daring let's out a horrified shriek and yells, "No, Briar, don't! I'm not camera ready! I look like a troll beast!"

But Briar simply ignores this and Rosabella chimes in, "Bye, sweetie! You look dazzling, I love you!"

Though Daring is embarrassed, a large grin stretches on his face. Dexter Charming isn't the only adorkable one in the family when it comes to being loved struck, it seems like Daring's gotten infected too.

* * *

"Are you going back for Christmas break, Dare?" Briar asks, she's flat on her back and her feet are propped on the wall as she stares at the ceiling.

They're hanging out in her room again, on her bed. It's technically not even Winter break for them since essays are due in January. They're on a time crunch between enjoying the holidays and keeping their grades up.

"Back to Book End?" Daring asks back, looking like he's about to fall asleep on her sheets.

Briar turns her head, she doesn't think she's ever seen Daring look less princely. But, that's college for you; where fashion flies out the window, and anyone wearing their pyjamas or onesies to class and automatically gets a response of 'I understand. You do you, boo'.

"Uh-huh." Briar hums.

They're talking about what to do during the break because Briar knows, after Daring had caught his sister in tears from that unfortunate prom night, he's gotten closer to Darling. Rosabella has told Briar how insecure Daring had felt after Darling had transferred from her all girls boarding school to Ever After High. So, high key, Briar is glad Daring is getting better at seeing things in a better light.

"Yeah, I'm going back," Daring answers, shifting so his feet also propped up. With all the time they're spending together, he thinks he and Briar might just be best friends? Well, he's one of hers, anyways. "Darling decided she really wanted Dexter and I to go home. The twins can't wait to see each other." Daring says, sounding in between. On one hand, he does want to see Darling who decided to take a year off while both he and Dexter are off at college. On the other hand, Daring may just like college more than home. More than high school, actually. "Or maybe Mother decided. It's hard to tell."

Briar's noticed Daring's always had this  _habit_  of never being at his mother's corner. It's a  **bad habit** , and he can't seem to stop doing it (Briar thinks Rosabella has noticed too). But, at least, Daring is  _trying_  to mend the gap between him and the twins.

She doesn't know what comes over her, but Briar finds herself saying, "You can visit us," She tries to make this casual by knocking her elbow against Daring's ribcage. She's trying to get him out of his funk. "You'd like my family. It's big, everyone's always screaming and sometimes we don't eat each other's snacks."

"Sounds charming."

"Bonus is that you get to see Rosabella." She teases him on that last part.

Daring's cheeks turn pink. "I need at least a whole week to get ready. I didn't think it was possible for me to get eyebags this big, I look  _horrendous_. I need to look my best."

"Oh, Daring, haven't you ever heard of 'in sickness and in health'?"

If it was possible, Daring's face colours even further. It's a nice shade of pink.

He says, "I'm barely nineteen and you're already talking about marriage?"

It's only a month until everyone realises it's a new year and their last 'teen year'.

"People get married at nineteen," Briar points out.

Daring rolls his blue eyes, "I can barely cook pasta right. I can't even feed myself. How am I supposed to care for someone else?"

"All you need is love." Briar says despite knowing damn well she's never had a proper experience with romance first hand.

"Love doesn't pay my student loans."

"You don't have student loans. You're loaded."

"I know but it's funny to joke about." Daring says, chuckling. Ah, shared pain. "But anyways, I just want to be my very best when I see Rosabella. I don't want to look like ...  _this."_

"By 'this', do you mean a train wreck?" Briar guesses and gesture to his hair. It's not even combed.

"I was thinking tired and gross but thanks for the reality check." Daring says dryly. It's almost odd how easy his conversations with Briar are. He would have never expected this in high school. She was always in another spectrum with her parties and Hocus Lattes.

"You're welcome," Briar answers, "But you do know Rosabella has seen you at your worse and she doesn't care if you don't look shiny or handsome, right?"

A memory flashes in Daring's head; involving him sitting on a lonely curb, an empty beer can and despair. He shivers,  _God_ , he was a  **mess**. He can't even remember if he cried that night.

Briar continues saying, "At least, you're more put together now. You look exhausted with essays and projects and college life, but at least you're better, and that's all that matters."

Okay, that was moving and he might just cry. "Thanks, Briar."

"Thank me when you come visit Rosabella and me during Winter break." She says, blowing brown and pink hair out of her face.

"I will."

* * *

"Darling and I fought." Daring says to Briar in whispers between library books and he glares at the words. He  **really**  really thought they had patched things up after both he and Rosabella had comforted Darling about her break-up with Apple.

Briar raises a brow. They're back at Book End, but again, they're on a time crunch and essays are due. Briar looks over and sees that Dexter is sitting a table away, brown hair barely visible by his high stack of referencing books.

"What about?" She asks, turning a page of a random business book.

Daring huffs. "She says Dex and I aren't spending time with her. It's true we don't see her as much, but, honestly, what does she expect? She's acting childish about this."

Briar presses her lips together. Darling's intentions are good, but her execution isn't. "She just wants to be around you and Dexter. It's not a crime."

"I guess." Daring grumbles.

Briar rolls her pink eyes. "My siblings tell me to shut up even when I haven't said anything."

"What? Why?"

"Because there's nine of us and we get on each other's nerves easily. Dare, you really need to work on your relationship with the twins." Briar says despite never agreeing with Dexter and Darling as people. "It feels like you aren't even siblings."

"Not true. We're just not close. At least, Darling and I aren't. We're sort of estranged."

"Weird since you two are so alike."

Daring's face plucks together. He doesn't know how to take this. "You see, there's this thing call genetics –"

"Shut up, I was talking about your traits." Briar emphasises then starts ticking her fingers. "You're both brave and smart and –"

"Now you're just trying to butter me up."

Briar punches Daring on the shoulder, similarly like Cerise had months ago. "Just promise me you'll make up with Darling. I have a feeling Dexter really wants to. Holding a grudge against your sibling is the worst possible thing that can happen. You're supposed to be family, Work together, won't you?"

* * *

"What up, nerd?" Daring says as he walks into Briar's dorm room that's littered with books and printed articles. A semester has passed and more essays are due.

"I'm not a nerd." Briar says as she turns away from her video call.

Daring shrugs. Briar studies as much as she parties and sleeps.

The blonde flops on the Briar's pink and pillow decorated bed. He peers into her  _iPad_. Briar's apparently talking to her family. Her  _very big_  family. Seriously big – two parents, five brothers, triplet sisters, her 'uncle Beast' and her aunt Belle (who is her mom's sister) and cousin Rosabella. Daring had the opportunity to meet them all during the Winter break, and let him just say, he'll never complain about the twins ever again. He can't believe once upon a time, he thought entertaining Dexter and Darling was work, managing the Beauty family was a harder task.

"Hi, Daring." Tenacity, one of the oldest Beauty brothers, waves from the screen.

"Hey, T." Daring replies.

"Get Mama on the line." Briar says to Tenacity.

Her brother hollers over his shoulder loudly, "MAMAAA, BRIAR WANTS TO TALK TO YOU!"

Briar huffs, "I meant get up and go get her."

Tenacity lifts a nonchalant shoulder then starts a conversation with his oldest sister about his day despite Briar rolling her eyes a lot.

Daring stays quiet, silently listening. He thinks the reason Briar puts up with a lot of nonsense is because she's used to juggling her large family. It's hard agreeing on one thing so in the end you just gotta settle for things.

"You're an idiot." Briar says after Tenacity finishes telling his story.

"I'm telling Mama you said that." Tenacity threatens.

The video calls ends up extending because  _everyone_  wants a say in the conversation. So much so that even Daring gets roped in and the two start doing other stuff while chatting. Like eating snacks, showing off newly bought things and slapping on a pore strip and waiting twenty minutes until the magic happens. Hanging with Briar has thought Daring the importance of taking care of himself, from skin care to party nights where he can just let loose and dance like nobody's watching. Though, Daring prefers quiet nights like these.

"This is so gross." Daring remembers saying to Briar as he looks at all excess sebum clogging his nose pores. "Wanna look?"

"Hell yeah, it's my fav part."

* * *

"Hey."

"Hi." Daring smiles at Briar, who almost stands shoulder to shoulder with him. She's a tall girl with dreams that towers over the both of them.

They're both dressed in their graduation robes, three years have passed in a blink of an eye and they're now aged twenty-one, smiling with their degrees in their hand.

"We did it. We graduated." Briar smiles, waving her rolled up diploma like a wand, and Daring grins wider.

"I know, what a miracle, huh?" He says and looks at her. Really looks at her.

To be honest, Daring would never imagine  _the_  Briar Beauty – ex-best friend of an ex-girlfriend – being one of  _his_ best friends, but she is. She's kind, smart and really knows how to make a boring day fun. One time, she spent fifteen minutes storytelling about orchids growing. It was incredibly entertaining. Daring never has a dull moment around Briar.

"Promise we'll hang out?" Daring asks.

Briar socks him on the arm. "No duh."

* * *

"Dare?" Briar gaps when she stares at the familiar blonde.

It's late. Way too late for visiting. She was getting a glass of water when she heard the sound of the front door pounding and of Rosabella opening it.

Rosabella is holding onto Daring like he's about to collapse; with a weak arm around her shoulder for support, and with her strong arms (from all that books carrying) looped around his mid-drift.

"What are you doing here?"  _Looking like that?_

Daring's blue eyes are glazed over. It would have been a sadder sight if he was drenched in rain or missing a shoe.

He looks at Rosabella then yanks his gaze up and tells Briar, "I didn't know where else to go."

"Oh, Dare." Briar rushes over to her best friend and helps her cousin guild him to their living room couch before he folds. "You're always welcome here."

...

The adults in the Beauty family do not even bat an eye when Rosabella and Briar rush in a whirlwind-like manner to set up the couch for Daring. They would offer a guest room, but being a three-storey house that accommodates  _fourteen people_ , it made space a 'little' difficult. There were rooms for the parents, a room Rosabella and Briar shared; the two oldest boys slept separately from the younger three, occupying bunk beds; and the triplet had a room that was messy with toys and puffy princess dresses when playing pretend. All in all, all six bedrooms in the packed house were occupied.

"I'm sorry that you have to sleep on the couch  _again_." Briar apologises while setting up the old thing to be as comfortable as possible.

"This is enough." Daring says. He doesn't say a cliché 'it's fine' and Briar appreciates it. Years ago, Daring didn't complain either when he had to sleep on the couch for a whole week. He's visited a bunch since then too.

Rosabella is making hot chocolate in the kitchen for the three of them as they speak, Aunty Belle has dug out hand-me-downs from the boys' old wardrobe for Daring to wear as pyjamas and the last Briar heard, Tenacity is trying to convince Courage to get an extra bed in their room for Daring to stay forever.

"Dare?" Briar says as she smoothes out the lines of a blanket.

"Yeah?"

"My family cares a lot about you, you know that, right?"

Daring stays silent.

"They love you a lot. I meant it when I said you're welcome here. You can stay for as long as you want."

Briar feels like the Beauty family is honest to God  _this close_  to adopting Daring as one of their own. Her Aunt Belle is a wonderfully kind mother and Uncle 'beast' Adam always wanted a son. Briar has  _five_ brothers and she always suspected her uncle was a little disappointed he didn't have any. Daring will do just fine, more than that even.

"I ..." Daring's lost for words as his jaw is slack. "I couldn't possibly. I'll go home in a day or two, pack all my stuff. Maybe convince Dexter to move out with me. No, I  _have_  to convince him. I don't want to stay alone. Bachelor life sucks, it's just a fancy lie for lonely dudes. I'll get another job since I quit being co-CEO and I'll figure out how to pay the rent and the bills and ..." Daring's eyebrows squeeze together like he's got it all planned but he hasn't. His plan is vague and flawed because he's not thinking straight. "I don't know what I'm doing."

"You literally just graduated from university less than three months ago." Briar says. "You're stressing yourself out. You don't have to worry so much. Finding someplace to live and paying the bills, those things are complicated, you just –"

" _Darling_  managed all that without a degree." Daring answers, a bite in his voice. "Technically, she's already moved out of the house. She's held down a job since she was eighteen and now she's travelling the world. I feel like such a ... she's the youngest and she's done all these great things."

"She wouldn't even have her job or be travelling the world  _if it wasn't for you_ in the first place." Briar reasons

"I was only looking out for her. It's like you said, we're supposed to be family, we're supposed to work together."

But Briar only shakes her head, not accepting Daring's pity party. " _You_  did all that.  _You_  did that for Darling. You convinced your monster of a mother to let your sister be. Give yourself credit. You're a great person, Daring."

Daring laughs, a wet sound. He might just cry. And he sits on the couch. "I never thought of it that way."

"You beat yourself up too much, you know that?" Briar wraps her arms around his broad shoulder, hugging him. " _You_  got a first in your Business degree when you literally had no interest in it,  _you_ gave Dexter courage to take that co-CEO spot at your family's company when he convinced himself he wasn't cut out for the job,  _you_  are why Darling's still free as a bird.  _You_  do so much for  _people_. It's time you do yourself a favour."

He takes a shaky breath in. Not a charming smile in sight. Just wobbly frowns and glassy blue eyes.

If someone had asked Briar years ago if she could ever consider Daring Charming as one of her best friend, let alone a potential family member, she would have laughed at their faces. Laughed because she's always thought Daring was nothing but some pretty boy jock who needed a daily ego stroking, but now she sees otherwise. Now she knows. Man, high school did her dirty by giving her stereotype glasses to put on.

"What should I do?" Daring asks his best friend.

She reaches out and squeezes his hand. "Be happy."

* * *

"Why didn't you accept Rosabella's proposal?" Briar asks as she storms into the room Daring used to share with Tenacity and Courage.

Daring and Briar are twenty-five now and _she_ thinks this is getting _a little ridiculous_. It's ridiculous because it feels like _everyone_ is moving on _except_ for _Daring_. For goodness sake, _her brothers_ have moved out to live with a partner and to go off college, but Daring's still  here. _Here_ and _helping_ and _probably miserable_ with the Beauty family orchid.

Daring sits up from his bed. "You're mad."

"Of course, I am!" Briar throws her hands up.

"Are you going to kick me out?"

"What?" Briar's momentary anger melts. She stares at him. "Have you been twiddling your thumbs and waiting for me to do so?"

"Ever since I moved in, actually." Daring admits, staring at his calloused hands, earned from performing manual labour at the Beauty orchid.

"I'm ... I would  **never**  kick you out."

"Okay." Daring breathes in deeply then starts an explanation because that's what Briar came for, didn't she? Some logic to his nonsense. "Don't get me wrong."

Briar raises a brow and sits at the foot of his bed.

"I love Rosabella a lot. I'm very much still  _in love_  with her. So you can rule out anything that says I don't."

"But?" Briar says because there's always a 'but'.

"But ..." Daring trails off. "I'm not enough for her, Briar. I'm barely much for your family." Daring says, looking down at his calloused hands yet again.

Briar slow blinks. Taking everything in. Then anger is etched on her face again. "I  _will_  punch you." She threatens.

"I believe you." He says. Briar's grown up with  _eight siblings._ Hands fly all the time. This isn't a joke.

"Well, I can't believe you!" Briar shoves Daring. Not too hard but it's still a push. "How can you say that?  _You_ have dedicated your life to helping out my family and our business.  _You_ 've helped us grow. What are you talking about? You are enough!"

"I didn't – I wasn't –" Confusion is written on his face. "I was  _handed_  that job out of  _pity_. Your family ..." He shakes his blonde head. "I'm just trying to do my part. I'm pulling you guys down, you gave me food, a place to stay and clothes on my back,  _this_  is the least I can do."

"What exactly is 'this'? Rosabella is –"

"She understands."  _Unlike you._  "She's patient. And she knows why I'm doing this. I have to prove that I'm better. I want to be the best version of myself before I say 'yes',"

"And when will that happen?" Briar presses.

"I – I don't know." Daring answers. Then he looks her in the eyes, blue against pink. "I'm upsetting you, aren't I? Do you want me to leave?"

Briar reaches over, grabbing Daring's shirt, something that used to be worn by Courage. "No, you dipshit," She says. "I want you to stay." Her hold on him tightens. "I want you to be part of this family." Her mouth trembles. "I want you to be happy. And I don't understand why you won't let yourself be."

* * *

Of course, Briar would be invited to Dexter and Raven's wedding. Daring made sure Briar was on the list. She's basically _going to be_  part of the Charming family one way or another. It's only  _common courtesy_  to get a glimpse of it all (the Charming life), influenced by her cousin's love life and due to the unexpected friendship that blossomed between Briar and Daring in the last instance of Senior year and then strengthened during university.

And now, nearly a decade later after graduating high school, Dexter and Raven are getting married. The venue feels like Senior prom all over again with the formal wear and a grand hall, and decorations. Don't get her wrong, Briar's glad Daring made an effort to get her on the guest list, but this isn't exactly the place she wants to be.

The wedding itself goes fine. Dexter was sweating buckets but the moment the music played and Raven appeared in an elegant lace dress, his entire face lit up like a Christmas tree. Several people were wiping happy tears from the corners of their eyes and, yes,  _this_  was  _definitely_ going on  _YouTube_. Viewers will smile brightly and cry over the purity of it all.

It was only afterwards, during the reception, did things feel odd.

The thing is, Briar never imagined herself in  _this position_  – sitting at a table that is away from everything that is familiar. While Daring and Rosabella are sitting at the Charming family table, Briar's sat at the friend's table with everyone she oh-so desperately tried to forget after she graduated. Was a chance to forget the drama that spiralled nine years ago too much to ask?

"I can't put my finger on it but I swear I recognise _that guy_." Alistair Wonderland says. Everything about him that usually screams 'adventure is out there!' like his never-bothered-to-style hair and his usual muddy boots are contained and replaced by gel and hairspray and polished shoes. "Do you recognise him, Bunny?"

Bunny leans forward, blinking at the said man. "You mean the guy sitting next to Darling?"

Alistair nods his head, "Yeah, the one with black hair."

Bunny taps on her glossed lip in return, "He does look  _familiar_."

The others followed suit, eyeing the person in question; he's sitting at the family table along with Daring and Rosabella.

The man who was sitting next to Darling, twin of the groom, looked like Darling's perfect match in an opposites-attracts kind of way. He had dark hair with red highlights in contrast to Darling's pale silver blonde and blue streaked hair; tired, responsible eyes that rivalled against Darling's mischievous adventurous ones; and a charming smile that would fit perfectly into the Charming family.

Humphrey joins in and observes, "I dealt with the yearbook and I don't recognise his face so I don't think he went to Ever After High."

Maddie giggles like a madman who knows a secret everyone else doesn't.

Briar offers a polite grin at the exchange but doesn't say anything, she doesn't want to get involved. It feels so awkward, so  _weird_  and  _otherworldly_.  **Maddening**  even.

Back when Briar was a teen, she never thought she'd associate herself with Raven Queen and her friends. She avoided them like the plague, thought they were bad news like the rest of Ever After High. She never dreamed of coming near them with a ten-foot pole, but now it looks like they'll be her second family if Rosabella marries Daring. Funny how things change. It's  _funny_. Her dream of leaving high school all behind is easily swept under the rug by a wedding.

Dreams are cheap, not even worth a dollar.

"Oh, you've twisted my arm enough, sillies! I'll tell you who he is!" Maddie laughs despite no one addressing her.

"No, wait! Don't tell me, I think I got it!" Alistair says, snapping his fingers. "It's Bitterford!"

"Who?" Some of the people at the table ask but Maddie just laughs and Bunny huffs.

"My arch-nemesis." Alistair says with seriousness in his voice.

"That's too strong of a word." Bunny quips.

"Okay, then, he's my rival."

"Al, you're twenty-six."

"So?"

Bunny rolls her eyes at the blonde man's sass and explains to the table, "That's Chase  _Red_ ford. He was Headboy back when we were Freshmen in Wonderland High, he was given the orders to track down Alistair and I if we were caught skipping class." Then Bunny's eyes slide over to Alistair as if meaning more and says, "Well, mostly Alistair."

" _Redford_. That damn guy made it his personal life's mission to interrupt our adventures. Him and that stick up his ass, so self-assured just because he was the captain of the fencing team and – oh my God – don't get me started on his privileged little life as a rich kid."

"Oh yeah." Recalls Bunny.

"Seriously, damn him! How dare he get in the way of my explorations and actually try and get me an education!" Alistair says and his friends nod like they understand the torture he had to endure.

Briar and Humphrey exchanged a look that said, 'These Wonderlandians are weird'.

Maddie flutters her hand like that information was barely the tip of the iceberg. "Oh, Chase's more than that!"

The table leans towards Maddie, intrigue, but Maddie doesn't get to say more because the very people they were talking about approaches them.

Darling walks up to her friends, wearing a bridesmaid dress that was similar to the ones Maddie and Bunny wore; from the accessories decorating her neck and ears to the gloves that covered her hands and arm. Her hands were wrapped around Chase's middle while he had a hand on her lower back.

A bright smile adorns the youngest Charming's lips as she waves at the table excitedly. "Hey, guys! So glad you could make it, it's been so long since I've seen you all!"

Darling goes around giving out hugs, which Briar and Humphrey return after being taken aback for a quick second. Chase remains where he is until Darling returns to his side, their hands finding themselves around each other.

"Oh, guys, this is Chase." Darling addresses the man beside her then lets her gloved hands sweep across the table. "Chase, these are some of my old friends!"

'Hey' and 'Hello's chorused from around the table as Chase gave a friendly, tired smile. He pauses for a moment as his eyes spark with recognition.

"Hey, don't I know you?" Chase asks, looking straight at Alistair.

"Huh? Who me? No!" Alistair says, glad that his mop of wild blonde hair is tamed and combed back for once. This might have made him look somewhat different from his teenage years.

Alistair then starts staring at Briar and Humphrey like his life depended on it. The two exchanged glances and shifted uncomfortably, they knew close to nothing about Wonderland High.

"Weren't you _that Freshman_ hell-bent on exploring every nook and cranny of Wonderland High? You always skipped class until the Headmistress stepped in."

"Um, I don't know what you're talking about." Alistair lies, now looking at Maddie who was not saying anything, only grinning like a Cheshire cat. Alistair's eyes narrows as he brought his cup to his face, covering it as he turns away. Alistair's jaw clenches and he says through gritted teeth, "I've never seen you in my entire life."

Alistair Wonderland will forever deny and hold a personal grudge towards Chase Redford. Forever, he says!

"No, I'm pretty sure we know each other. You're Alistair Wonderland, right?" Chase guesses out of politeness. He doesn't want to be known as that jerk who forgot old schoolmates.

_Damn you and your perfect memory, Redford!_  Curses Alistair. He answers, "Maybe." while still shielding his face.

"So!" Bunny says, loudly, which is not something she does regularly. "Darling, Chase, how did you two meet?"

At the drop of this question, Darling's face lights up. The corners of her lips curled upwards, as she began nudging Chase's ribs, a sort of gesture that spoke of an inside joke. Chase's calm composure immediately falters and breaks. His face twists into a sort of hurt, cringe face that said, 'Not in front of your friends'.

"The  _Rabbit Hole_  bar ..." Darling lightly reminds Chase as she resists the urge to burst into a fit of laughter.

"My dad's place?" Bunny echoes, raising a brow.

Chase winces at that memory and he whispers back to her, "Not right now, Darling, first impressions matter."

Darling exchanges a glance around the table and  _the sleepless elite_  bursts out into peals of laughter. First impressions do matter, yes, but with  _her friends_ , hmm, like they care about  _that stuff._  They're silly people. Plus, friends are people one can act impossibly immature around.

"We're all friends here, love, don't fret." Darling answers but Alistair's gaze on Chase doesn't soften, only continuing to shoot laser beams.

Chase's shoulders square. "Darling, please behave a little? You know how reckless you can be when you're having fun." Then he lowers his voice to act serious but it seems like he's willing to play along with the silliness, "We don't want to repeat that incident in Dubai."

"I'm not going to ride my bike down the aisle, if that's what you're suggesting. The market place was a one-time thing." Darling replies.

"You better not, you don't want to end up in  _prison_  again."

Humphrey and Briar exchange another look with each other. It was a cross between 'what?' and 'she's crazy!'

"It was jail, completely different, and you know that." Darling shrugs like it's no big deal. Then upon seeing Briar and Humphrey's puzzled faces, Darling asks, "Do you want to hear the story?" Her blue eyes shone with excitement to tell it all.

Chase nudges Darling back to reality, voice dipped in concern. "Don't you dare."

" _doN'T yoU daRE._ " Darling mimics with a mocking teasing tone.

" _Darling_ ," Chase says in a warning tone and Darling just laughs in return.

She simply pushes his shoulder lightly.

"You're so annoying," Chase says with a playful eye roll. Despite this, he doesn't loosen his loving touch on her hand.

"Jokes on you, we're together." Darling nudges him further. "It's too late to reconsider."

Chase sighs then says, "Can we please not talk about the time you landed in jail?"

Darling shrugs. "That was a grand time! We've had worse, like that time we nearly got roped into smuggling for a traffic ring in Cuba."

"I told you they looked sketchy but did you listen to me? Nooo!" Chase says though it does sound like he's having a fond time remembering all these shenanigans.

"Well, we didn't get involved in the end."

"You rode your bike out of the window from the third floor of a factory warehouse! You were in the hospital for a month!"

"I survived, didn't I?"

Now, normal people would think 'what the hell?' but all  _the sleepless elite_  could think of was, 'man, I missed out'. Chase and Darling were an interesting couple. Darling was reckless and everywhere while Chase was the rock that kept her grounded.

Briar and Humphrey continue listening in the sidelines while the Wonderlandians had their banter. Alistair took great satisfaction in Chase's conflicting situation.

Alistair asks, "Oh, what happened to your good reputation, Bitterford?"

"Sorry, what?" Chase says after a moment, not catching Alistair's words.

"Um, I was just saying. I think I deserve an apology for all those years ago."

"What?"

"You gave me detention on the first day at Wonderland High." Alistair spoke up, pretty much blurting out the start of their 'rivalry'.

"Rules are –"

But Darling elbows Chase in the guts for antagonizing her friend. So Chase corrects himself after flashing her a face _,_  it read, 'Don't hurt me'.

"I'm sorry ..." Chase says then adds, "But you should have cared about your education more, your mom was the principal."

"She still is," Alistair says and refrains himself from touching his face like he was having flashbacks. Alice Wonderland never let her son stepped back into that school after all the nonsense he caused, still keeping him at arm's length from the said school after so long. It was within reason though, look at all the shit he stirred up in Ever After High!

"I'm ... yeah, your mom told me to keep you and that girl in check. Um," Then Chase's blue eyes gravitate towards Bunny and he asks, "That was you, right?"

Bunny blushes, now older and wiser.

"My wife," Alistair tells before Bunny can say anything.

Chase's face genuinely perks up. "Oh, congrats!"

But Alistair doesn't let his guard down, eyes still pointed.  _Rival!_

"Anyway," Darling butts in after spending the entirety of the conversation eyeing all her friends quizzically at this unknown history between the two men. "This ... didn't go the way I expected but I'll talk to you guys later." She waves a gloved hand and guides Chase back to the table.

"See you!" Maddie speaks up, the first to break the small chain of pressure. And when the couple had walked away, Maddie says to the others, "That was fun!"

"I don't like him." Alistair says. "Isn't there a rule or something about group decisions? Like, if the girl's friends don't like the guy she's dating then she should trust her friends and break-up with him?"

"A little too late for that, Al." Maddie giggles like she's about to spill some beans. Magic beans filled with secrets!

"What do you –"

"Sheismarriedtheyaremarried!" Maddie says quickly. "OhmyGod, I've been wanting to say that for so long!"

"Wait, what?!"

"Chase is Darling's husband!" Maddie says.

The entire table's gasps, jaws dropping. Everyone knew Darling could be a wild one but this –

"Darling got married and didn't invite us to her wedding?! I thought we were friends!" Alistair says, more hurt with that than stunned by the news.

"Oh, she didn't invite anyone! It was a private wedding in Iceland!" Maddie says.

Bunny brushes that aside, "Is Darling  _you know_?! Are we about to be unexpected aunts and uncles?"

"No, the wedding was spontaneous but also planned? Well, agreed on anyways! It happened a year ago." Maddie explains, the calmest around the table.

"A YEAR AGO?!" Bunny swears she might just have a heart attack. She knows she hasn't seen Darling all that much since the rambunctious girl is  _still_  travelling around the world but –

"Wasn't she backpacking around the world like us when she got married then?" Alistair asks. "Where the hell did she pick Redford up from? Prissy Boys To-Go?"

Of course, wild-spur of the moment Alistair  _has_  to comment on goody-two-shoes Chase Redford. They're opposites bound to clash. And as soon as the words left Alistair's mouth, Maddie's usual wide smile drops.

Meanwhile, Humphrey and Briar continue keeping their mouth shut. Briar knows it's not her place to say anything but she never thought the Wonderlandians would judge. But then again, she supposes it happens. Briar did judge  _the sleepless elite_  long ago too (she's sort of still judging from all the weird stories being exchanged).

"Al, that was uncalled for." Maddie says, her voice commanding. "Chase is a  **really**  nice person. He's sweet and he'd never hurt Darling. Chase treats Darling well, he's not like –"

Maddie immediately closes her mouth like it's taboo to say the next line. But the damage is already done. Everyone at the table knows. Everyone's been affected by the person behind it.

Apple White.

"I never liked her anyway," Humphrey says. He's been silent all this while. But he supposes, it's an appropriate time to say it now rather than keep it bottled up for another nine years or something. Senior year was really the fall of it all.

All the heads at the table turn to Briar and she feels herself sweat.

"I always liked you and Ashlynn better." Humphrey says to her. "You never made fun of me. I heard you defend Hopper a number of times too and then Ashlynn started dating Hunter." –  _Gunter_ , Briar corrects in her head – "You guys were different. You and Ashlynn didn't care about the dumb school hierarchy."

No, that's a  **lie**. Briar  _did_  care and wanted to get away from it all. She thought Raven and her friends were trouble. She thought she wouldn't have to deal with all that. But then it turns out trouble was disguised in the form of perfect blonde curls, red lips and a preference for Double Foam with apple caramel Hocus Lattes.

"Humphrey –"

"Thanks for not being Apple." Humphrey squeezes before Briar can say anything else.

_Oh God_ , he said it. He said  _her_  name. Apple's name.

Briar blinks her eyes profusely.  _Fuck_ , she's  **not**  going to cry _about herself_ at someone's wedding. Briar expects a heavy silence, some quiet, but then –

"Anyway, being stuck with Bitterford for a whole year was enough." Alistair says, his irritation a good kind of distraction. "The day he graduated was the happiest day of my life. Man, I should have said something." He bristles.

The table pretended Humphrey's moment didn't exist for Briar's sake.

"I was thinking of saying something like 'yes, I remember you, I got lost on my first day at Wonderland High and you gave me detention' but then I thought he'd say his normal catchphrase of 'rules are rules', so, you know, forget it." Alistair says bitterly. "Fuck him,"

Maddie sighs. "I think Darling's already beat you to that."

"Don't make me throw up."

* * *

As the occasion progressed, moving from the special dance for the groom and bride to dances between family and friends; with Dexter dancing with his twin sister, Darling, and Raven dancing with her father-in-law, Chase Redford parted ways with his mother-in-law and the dance floor.

"Excuse me, may I have this dance?" A voice asks, feminine and breathless sounding.

Chase turns, delighted to entertain any guest who would wish to dance with him. He'd do anything ( _anything_ ) as long as it keeps the wedding going smoothly. But the moment his cornflower blue eyes lands on the woman before him, his handsome face changes. His eyes light up and his polite smile widens, deepening his dimples.

"Lizzie Hearts?" He says, now sounding breathless too.

"The one and only." Lizzie says then grins widely. "It's good to see you again, Chase."

"What are you doing here?" Chase asks as he guides his childhood friend to the dance floor, beaming that he's seeing a familiar face at such a special occasion. He means, well, what are the odds?

"I was invited like you were." Lizzie answers, grinning just as equally wide. Her cheeks glow a healthy pink as she angles her face to look up at him. He's so tall, too tall sometimes.

"I thought you were busy with your fashion line?"

Lizzie laughs, "Not too busy. I made _the_ dress."

"The bride's dress?" Chase asks, impressed by the intricated lace design. It was beautiful enough to make Dexter cry at the sight.

"Yes. It's the least I could do. Raven's a close friend,"

"The dress is gorgeous."

"Well, I shouldn't take all the credit. I had help from a talented lady. She's here, you know, I could introduce you two later. She came just in case there were any accidents." Lizzie says then she places her right hand in his left and her other hand on his shoulder.

"I would be honoured."

And Lizzie let's Chase sweep her into a dance, the hem of her red roses dress flutters when he twirls her around and her heart beats twice as fast for him as it had for the past decade plus.

.

.

.

"Shall we dance some more?" Lizzie asks after their second dance, an activity that was filled with catching up and jokes and banter and soft music.

"Maybe not." Chase says, still smiling at her. "I have to get back to the family –"

"Oh, 'family', you say? Is your mother here too? You must let me talk to her again, I haven't seen her in forever!" Lizzie says as she wraps her hands around his right arm. She's excited, wanting Chase to guide her to wherever he's headed.

"Well, uh," Chase stutters, looking between her face and the crowd of dancing guests. His cornflower blue eyes flutter at her smiling face. One second goes by, then two, then three. Finally, he grins back at her, a nervous habit he's developed since he was young.  "Yeah, I'll show you to the table."

And he places his left hand on her wrapped hands. Like a gentleman, he guides her.

She thinks she's on cloud nine.

But then she isn't.

Then Lizzie Hearts notices where Chase is taking them back to. Something clicks in her head.

"Wait, your table –"

Things came together, first slowly then all too quickly.

One: Chase is leading them towards the Charming family table, a table not just  **any**  guest can sit at. He's walking over without even batting an eye, without a hesitance in his step. It's like he knows he's always welcome there.

Two: The tie Chase has decorated around his (marked) neck and accessorized his stylish suit that was coloured blue. Blue, the colour that was assigned to only family members of the groom and bride to unite the two families. Guests were left to wear whatever they pleased. It could have just been a coincidence or Chase not getting the memo if not for the fact that Lizzie had not noticed there was an embroidered crown with a 'C' in the middle stitched in golden thread. It was the insignia of the Charming family. Royal blue with hints of silver and gold. Lizzie, of course, knew this because her client was Raven and because she had to work her way around coordinating Raven to the Charming's family style.

Three: Lizzie suddenly feels conscious of the cold metal ring pressed against her own hand (she should have noticed it when she held his hand during their dances).

"Yes," Chase hums. "I'm sitting with the Charming's. I haven't told a lot of people but since you're an old friend, I feel like I have to tell you, I'm actually  _ **married**_  to the groom's sister." Chase finishes his words.

And just like how all the facts come too quickly, a flood of emotion sweeps over Lizzie all too quickly too. And soon, she is a heaping mess of tears and heartbreak.

.

.

.

She starts sobbing not a second later while still in his arms.

.

.

.

From the table Briar's sat from, she can see the panic across Chase's face. He looks like someone with alarm bells blaring in his brain but having the inability to do anything about such a thing.

"What's going on?" Briar asks while looking at Maddie.

Everyone looks to Maddie since she seems to be the one with the most knowledge.

"Secrets have been spilt." Maddie simply says.

.

.

.

"Chase?" Darling calls, hurrying to the scene that's caused a hundred eyes to turn away from the dance and music.

Dexter follows behind, Raven too. Daring and Rosabella join in, peeking between shoulders, their dance was cut short from the horrible sound of crying and choking. Even Maddie and Briar stand from the table and rushes forward.

"Chase, what's wrong?" Darling asks again. She rushes to her husband and an unknown guest who is crying her green eyes out while choking out words and slowing sinking to the floor while Chase is confused and worried out of his mind.

"I – I don't know." Chase stammers, wide-eyed and pale in the face. He shakes his head and his impossibly tall height continues to tower over Lizzie Hearts as she sinks lower and lower to the ground, big poofy dress expanding on the ground like a delicate princess curtsying low. "I don't know, Darling."

"D – Darling?" Lizzie chokes out, sounding like a hurt thing. Her green eyes are bleeding her heart out. "She has a cutesy nickname? Do you call her 'honey' too?"

Lizzie Heart is falling apart, people are whispering and several guests step forwards to have a look-see.

She sobs and sobs and sobs until a pale hand reaches out of nowhere, landing on her shoulder. It spins Lizzie around and it sends the crying woman into a comforting state of quiet sobs as she cries into the newcomer's chest.

Eyes follow and that very pale hand belongs to none other than Apple White – twenty-six with her blonde curls now cut shoulder length and her blue-grey eyes reflecting maturity. Time has been kind to Apple, growing her from a teen idol into a sharp woman with high cheekbones, a sophisticated air and her mother's pearls wrapped around her pale throat.

And Darling freezes. She remembers Apple White as she had always looked; picture perfect.

.

.

.

Apple doesn't even notice Darling at first. The blonde fully concentrates on Lizzie and her prying hands before Apple manages to make Lizzie let go. Apple stares at her mascara teared friend then the man Lizzie was once holding onto  _and then_ at Darling.

Their eyes met for a second. But only a second. Because the next moment is spent with an air of professionalism. Apple grabs Lizzie by the elbows and guides her away from the reception area, shoulders back and her blonde head held high. Apple White is many things, among them is elegance and a high-class profession of her career.

"Come on, Lizzie." Apple says gently, her tone soft and comforting.

In the background, Briar exchanges a look with Daring while he squeezes Rosabella's hand. Maddie gaps. They don't really have a say in this untold mess but they feel like they should.

"We should go with them, shouldn't we?" Dexter asks his wife, chewing on his lip. It's his wedding and he doesn't think he can stand in the background.

"Of course, Lizzie's more than just my wedding gown designer, she's my friend." Raven says and hikes up her dress, high heels clicking.

Dexter turns back to Darling with a face that says 'make sure Chase is okay'. He flashes his twin a quick comforting, reassuring smile before following his own spouse.

The three are all whisking Lizzie away. And after a split second decision ... Briar Beauty follows too after squeezing Daring's arm.

.

.

.

"Chase, who was that?" Darling says, still staring at the outline of her ex and the mysterious woman in red and black.

"Lizzie Hearts."

"Childhood friend Lizzie?"

Maddie exchanges a concern look with Daring and Rosabella who hasn't said anything. She looks like a dwarf next to Chase who's impossibly tall. Maddie recognises Lizzie on the accounts that they went to the same school before she moved to Ever After High, she recalls the lovey-dovey eyes Lizzie always flashed whenever Chase had passed her in the hallway.

"Yeah." Chase answers.

Darling pales. "Oh."

* * *

Outside of the reception venue, Apple White has managed to find a quiet spot where she knows nobody would be able to disturb them.

Lizzie grabs hold of Dexter's sleeve and pulls, causing the brunette man to yelp. "How long?" She asks. "How long has Chase been married to your sister?"

Dexter swallows, feeling all eyes on him. The anxiety building in his chest makes breathing hard and constricting. Man, he thought he had gotten rid of all the worrying after Raven had said 'I do' at the altar but this is some next level drama right here. He has to tell the truth, which will hurt another human being.

Dexter feels like this is karma biting him back in the butt. For not voicing out the tangled web of lies when Daring and Darling were involved with Apple. He shares a side glance at his wife and Raven looks back with an expression that said, 'We're both equally guilty, Dex. We knew but never said anything.'

So his shoulders drop and Dexter confesses like a sinner in a church. "A year."

And Lizzie cries harder, which causes Apple to kneel down beside her friend. Apple coos and rubs circles on Lizzie's back.

"I've been in love with that man for  _years_!" Lizzie howls with pain and clutches onto her red and black dress. "I tried to be the best for him. I threw myself into work, I ignored any distractions. I made sure our colour schemes matched and I built an entire fashion empire just so I could be successfully ready, so I could be  **perfect**  for him. I made sure!"

Briar grimaces. It felt like a crime scene (and it felt familiar too).

"Did you tell him?" Apple asks as Lizzie presses her wet nose against Apple's soaking shoulder. "Did you tell him you were in love with him?"

"No," Lizzie sniffs. "No. I thought he'd wait. Chase's always been the type of guy to plan everything ahead. So for him to be as spontaneous as this ..." Lizzie can't even finish her words before she chokes back a sob again.

In her mind, Lizzie knew Chase was an attractive guy, she knew people fancied him, but, she also knew that Chase never really looked for love. It seemed that all his love was directed towards his mom (he was adopted and cherished Madam Redford). Chase is a huge momma's boy. He went home every weekend when he was in college. That's what gave Lizzie reassurance that Chase would never find someone until his mom pushed him to do so.

Apple lets Lizzie's cry as she stares at the newlywed couple in reply, then at Briar. In a room so tiny, there was nowhere else to look.

"Sometimes," Apple says slowly, then rephrases herself. " _Most times_ , love doesn't wait for anyone. You have to be clear and firm at that very moment or you'll end up losing your loved one to someone else."

Briar swears she sees something in the reflection of Apple's blue-grey eyes. It looked hurt but ready.

"I'm sorry. I really am. But you have to move on." Apple tells her friend but since Lizzie wasn't answering, it sounded like Apple was talking to herself. Apple may as well be.

And Briar believes that maybe some part of Apple was. 'It's time to let go' it said.

* * *

"Apple?"

The blonde in question turns, facing an old lover and a tall man. "Hello."

Darling's hand grips onto the bottom of her skirt. It's odd. She feels like she's back in high school, clutching onto her prom dress. "You, um, you really saved the day."

"It …" Apple's lily white hands clench and unclench. "It was nothing."

"No, it was. It was _a big something_. Thank you," Darling says as she stares into Apple's eyes. "Thank you for saving Dexter's wedding from being a complete disaster."

The familiar sight of Apple's red painted lips twists into a slow smile. "You're welcome –" Apple says then holds Darling's gaze. "– Darling Charming." Her name still rolls of Apple's tongue like honey.

"Redford." Darling corrects, it just slipped out.

Apple's grey-blue eyes flitted to a corner where Chase stood. Apple blinks, taken aback for a moment, grin dropping before lifting again. A soft smile forms on her red, red lips.

"Of course." Apple nods her head at the said man. "You're very welcome, Darling Redford." She says with no malice, her smile reached up to her eyes.

Darling manages to smile back.

Apple then says to close the conversation slowly, "To be honest, I think you should give Dexter a little bit more credit. I bet he would have still married Raven even if the whole place burned down to the ground. He's that much in love with her."

"I know," Darling says, in the same small voice. "Um …" She swallows. "I want to tell you something."

"Yes?" Apple answers and can practically picture the night she first said 'yes' to Darling.

Darling breathes in deeply. She likes thrills and some may think she's mad, but she still gets nervous. "I'm sorry for what I said to you all those years ago,"  _That you were selfish._

"No, I knew you were right." Apple answers understandingly. "I was selfish. And I worked on it. I … I'm actually  _still_  working on it." Apple says, her upturned lips now reflected some sadness. Then after a beat, she says, "I'm sorry for the hurt I caused you."

And for a moment, Darling felt herself tear up and her throat clog because she did consider Apple to be her friend, in addition to someone special before they broke up. The two girls used to talked for hours and told jokes and shared secrets until everything crumbled to dust. Darling would be lying if she were to say she didn't miss their old bond.

Darling's chest heaves as she breathes deeply. "I forgave you already."

"You … You did?" Apple asks. "When? But I didn't …"

"We were young. You didn't deserve my harsh words. I forgave you years ago. I don't want to hold old grudges."

"Oh." Apple croaks. "Thank you." God, she's really _going_ to cry.

"Any time."

Apple gives Darling and her husband one more small smile then turned and glided away like a queen. A mature queen. Apple had changed so much and they both feel a weight lift from their shoulders.

.

.

.

"Apple?"

"Briar."

"How are you?" Briar asks and tries to look for it – that teenie tiny crack that's just barely there. The wall Apple built. The facade. But there is none.

"I'm good," Apple starts. "I've been working on a few things. You?"

"Well," Briar gestures to Lizzie who's surrounded by the Wonderland folks, they're all trying to cheer her up. "I've had better days."

Apple's grey-blue eyes flicker over to where Darling had returned to her husband's side, they were smiling, laughing together. They looked happy. "Darling … She seems to have done well in life."

Briar follows her gaze. "Yeah, Darling's been good. I've heard stories. She's still as wild as she was when we were teenagers. Chase has been treating her well."

Apple nods silently, her facial expression unreadable. "I see."

"How ... How do you feel about that?" Briar asks between whispers and silky dresses.

Apple lets out a laugh. "I'm honestly glad that Darling's found someone who loves her as much as she loves him."

"Oh, Apple." Briar breathes out and embraces Apple. They truly can't escape each other. "You're not hurt by this, are you? You can tell me if you are. You don't have to hide a thing from me."

"No. No. Maybe if I was eighteen again, but I'm a better version of myself now. I'm not the same person as I was years ago. High school-me was …" Apple trails off. "I was selfish. And I'm still trying not to be. I've taken the first step, I've apologised."

"I'm glad." Briar says, her chin still placed on Apple's shoulder.

"Speaking of that, I have to apologise to you too."

"What for? I forgave you, remember?" Briar recalls their conversation between vending machines.

"That was before the prom fiasco. I disappeared after that."

"It was to further your studies."

"We were friends for close to seven years. It was immature and rude of me to pack up all my things and leave without a word. We lost contact because of my reckless actions. Briar, I … I want to start our friendship over. Can we do that? Can we start over?"

"Of course, we can, you don't have to ask me twice." Briar answers.

Apple smiles and it reaches her eyes.

* * *

"What's that on your neck?" Daring asks boldly, pointing and living up to his daring name.

Chase's face colours, blush climbing up his neck and cheeks. Chase's hand subconsciously covers the spot on his neck, as if he's aware that it's there. "It's not what you think, Darling shot me with a  _Nerf_  gun. I don't even know where she got it."

At this, Daring snickers, muffling his laughter into his own hand. Daring answers, "Oh, I gave it to her before you two left the family dinner."

Chase stares in response. Had Daring embarrassed him on purpose? "So you knew?"

Daring hums, "I didn't think she'd shoot you on the neck."

"Did your parents see?"

"Your collar isn't exactly covering it. And it's a fresh bruise so ..."

Chase only blushes further. "I feel terrible. I ruined the wedding, didn't I?"

Daring's gaze sweeps around the room. "It wasn't your fault. Things just happen." Daring says truthfully, every bone in his body meant it. Then he says, "Chase, you're an alright guy."

"Thanks."

* * *

"Looks like things worked out." Daring says much later when he's beside Darling. They gaze at the guests, Apple and Briar are sitting closely and catching up on lost times, it looked like Chase was having a heart-to-heart with Lizzie too. "Could have been better without the drama but weddings tend to draw these things in so it's all good."

Darling laughs. Her high heels are off, aching feet propped up on a chair and hem of her skirt hitched. "As long as Dex got his happily ever after, I'm more than satisfied." There's no need to look for her twin though, he's left to have a grand time with Raven.

"I'd drink to that." Daring raises his cup.

Darling rolls her eyes and sips on her Pina Colada before asking, "So when are you getting married,  _brother_?" She refers to Rosabella's proposal.

Daring gaps. The audacity of this  _lil shit_  sister of his. "I didn't plan to marry last. It's not my fault you have such big hair,  _sister_."

"My big hair doesn't mean I'm full of secrets, Dare."

"Really now?"

"Yes," Darling answers. She's not defensive though. She likes that she can joke around with her oldest brother after the hurricane of the day. They've always been so similar yet so far apart. "So I take it you're accepting the proposal soon; when all the flowers have bloomed and the day is weather-suitable for a picnic surprise?"

Daring gaps again, he's between being livid and wanting to continue joking around. "Keep your voice down, devil woman! You'll ruin my plans!"

Darling raises a silver brow, "Devil woman? I'll kick your ass,"

"So unladylike."

"I'll get my husband to kick your ass too."

"Devil woman, I say."

And then they shared a smile that said more than it looked. High school is a thing of their past, now it's just their future.

* * *

**end**

* * *

  **notes:** just wanna talk about this review real quick

**review**

This is cute.

I'd have more to say, but that's pretty much it. […] It's also all very heteronormative, but I'm sure that's just a fluke probably. Maybe.

I'm just saying the well resolved relationships here are all het-positive, and anything outside that range ends in fire and flames.

;;

**reply**

I'm gonna put this out here in case anyone misinterprets this fic. It's like you didn't even read this fic, to be honest. 'Only the hets have well resolved relationships'? 

Chase is still very much Asexual and Darling is still very much Bisexual. They're the second happiest couple in the room (the first is Dexter and Raven on the account that they've just gotten married). Please don't erase Chase and Darling's sexual identities just because they look like a 'basic hetero couple'. You don't stop being ace or bi just because you're with a partner that makes your relationship look 'straight'. Doubting someone's sexuality isn't okay. That's like saying, "You can't be a lesbian because you don't have a girlfriend", or "I don't believe you're gay because I've never seen you in a relationship with a guy", or "How do you know you're pansexual if you've never been with X person".

Also, please acknowledge that, though Apple is still a single lesbian woman and isn't with a lovely gal, she _is_  a successful businesswoman; who managed to not only admit her past mistakes, but also be forgiven and reconnect with another strong lady (that's a positive relationship. Even if it's just friendship).

And just because Alistair and Bunny are married, and Daring is going to marry Rosabella doesn't mean it's all het-positive. Alistair acted pretty childish when he found out about Chase. Being a man-child isn't a good thing in any relationship.

A to-be-Mrs Charming Rosabella isn't some constellation prize for Daring either. Rosabella could have  _easily_ been the hero in their love story but instead, Daring confided in Briar, creating a beautiful friendship where most stories say men and women cannot be  _just friends._  Yes, Daring and Briar are both straight but their whole dynamic is to show that you don't have to be in a romantic relationship to be happy.

So, again, it's not all 'het-positive'. Look at Humphrey who is  _still single_  and scarred by high school bullying. And Lizzie who is  _also still single_  and cried her eyes out.

I love ships, but not everything is about shipping. This fic is about identity, sexuality, friendship and growth.  **You should learn how to look outside your shipping world** , it sounds like you  **only** care about lesbian ships (don't fetishize us) and no other LGBTQ ships. It also sounds like you hate straight couples or straight people in general. Don't do this to the community or yourself. And I say 'yourself' because the person you're hurting the most with this mentality is you.

Also also,

  and   and 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes 4: Wow. That side-story project,  **the sleepless elite** , took forever and a year. Remind me to never do that again. Being overly ambitious is crap.
> 
> Notes 5: Fuck, I can't believe I wrote a happy possibly ambiguous ending future thing for my beautiful disaster son Daring. I didn't plan for it to be so emotional for him, but damn. If anyone wants to be my wife, write me a moving fic about Daring Charming growing as a person and I will marry you on the spot.
> 
> Also, funny how I mentioned DexterRaven is my ship but didn't think I could write about them, because I thought I couldn't write happy endings, but here I am writing about their wedding. The world works in mysterious ways.
> 
> Notes 6:
> 
> Jezmaiya: Never thought you'd write our friendship into this story. Glad to know that you think of clay mask, sheet mask and library all nighters when you think of me.
> 
> Me: I write about everything. Have you seen my AU folder?
> 
> Jezmaiya: Which one? You have many folders.
> 
> Me: :(
> 
> – 2 March 2019


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